Twin hearts
by Alexie Barnaby
Summary: When two people are meant to be together, there's no force in the world that could keep them separated. Sacred/Honorshipping yaoi side shippings: Neochampionshipping and WillxSabrina
1. Hero

**Author's note:** As often this was planned to be a story made of songfics, and as always I bitterly notice that often the lyrics don't collide entirely with my line, so I decided to just put a part of the lyrics, the one that fits better at the beginning of the chapter, and give the song's name as a title, so these are not songfics, actually.

Nothing in this story respects exactly the lines of game, manga and anime. Truth to be told, it's quite a big mess…

Some of the chapters would be really short =(, maybe too short, but it depends on how it comes

**Disclaimers:** Pokèmon character's are woned by some guys I really admire, but not mine. And I don't own any rights on the lyrics of the songs neither

**Song:** Hero by Skillet

* * *

_I'm gonna fight for what's right_

_Today I'm speaking my mind_

_And if it kills me tonight_

_I will be ready to die_

Young Spearows are impossible to look after, they're troublemakers for nature. One of them in particular drove the poor Falkner mad. It always found a different way to escape.

Once it was night and the bird master just finished his dinner , when his loyal Pidgeot came in all worried, he understood immediately that little rascal escaped.

Falkner hurried himself out, running towards the small wood which separates Violet City from Ecruteak City. He forgot the pocket torch at home, and even if the wood isn't so big, at that time of night it was completely dark. He avoided one or two trunks for miracle.

Arrived in what was supposed to be the middle of the forest, he could hear it crying, the noise came from an oak tree behind the bushes. He clumsily jumped them, but a thorn pierced his pajama trousers

"Screw me and when I didn't bother to dress!"

and he fell in a kind of a ditch he had never noticed before.

Standing there, entangled between the plants like a moron, he was about to give everything up and just sleep there to wait until it was day. The poor Pidgeot couldn't help if it wanted to, the vegetation was too thick for his noticeable body to be penetrated.

The sharp cry came again. The little irresponsible should have put himself in a huge trouble, as it sounded desperate. Falkner breathed deeply and eventually, having wounded almost his whole body and almost completely torn his pajama, he succeeded to get the damn out of that pit.

He stumbled several times, and hit his knee against a rock before he could reach his Spearow, obviously pains weren't over. It was trapped in a pit under the rocks by a flock of Paras and Parasect .

Falkner had to get rid of them someway, and his Pidgeot was nowhere in sight. He desperately attempted to jump over them and grab Spearow, but things went worse, he fell to the ground, hitting the shoulder badly against a trunk, the pain was too strong to bear, and he could harshly get up.

When he was thinking he wouldn't have gone home without any kind of insect sting, a strange feeling overcame him, like a kind of vapor scared all the bug pokèmon away.

He was scared too. He shivered when he felt a cool hand lifting his body up from the ground, and there Falkner saw him: violet amethyst eyes, blonde hair wrapped back with a purple headband and a long scarf that had the same motive, he wore a grin on his face "Going sight-seeing the forest with the darkness?" he offered.

The bird master was about to reply him in a not so polite way, but all his mouth managed to mutter was just "Spearow.." the little asshole came out all happy and jumpy, playing around with his Gengar.

He lifted Falkner's legs up to carry him out. The bird master could remember about his care towards the injured shoulder, even if he said him nothing, the stranger knew.

"Where are we going?"

"You need to be seen by a doctor, wouldn't you get home in these conditions?"

Falkner didn't have the power to answer, he just stared at his reassuring smile. The bird master assumed he passed out some minutes later, and when he woke up in the hospital room, the stranger was gone.

The doctor told him the shoulder wasn't broken, thanks to Articuno. He also scolded Falkner for having decided to pass the forest without a torch or any pokèmon.

Damn it! He thought the stupid Spearow was in the surroundings! Who could have imagined it was in such a trouble!

The bird master questioned him on who brought him to the hospital, the doctor said it was Ecruteak Gym's leader Morty.

Falkner was still new, and apart from Bugsy, than he had been knowing for a long time, and Clair(Who in this damned region doesn't know her?) he could harshly figure out how Morty would have looked like. He was sure he had already heard the name before, but the two didn't ever meet in person before that night.

When Falkner asked why he left, that doctor answered abruptly "He has duties out of babysitting newbies around Jotho!"

If it wasn't that his shoulder still hurt like hell, Falkner would have punched him in the face so powerful that he would have bounced against the wall for an entire week!

When he went back home, the bird master had to hear lectures from Violet City citizens. Falkner damned them all. When you do a little mistake they're all ready to point fingers towards you. Some of concern, some of shame others of anger. He could bear none of them.

Falkner shut the door of his gym, hoping there wouldn't have been other pain in the ass. And as it was. Two trainers came to fight, but they were sent home in less than five minutes.

He was moving to his home to put something under the teeth, it was almost six in the afternoon "How are you?" a voice called him from the back, Falkner turned and saw Morty there, staring at him, grinning, hands in his pockets "I'm fine, thanks. You didn't have to help me, I'd have found a way to escape myself" he came closer and ruffled his hair playfully, Falkner felt his cheeks burning in what he assumed to be shame, then the ghost master said, in a jocking, yet so sweet tone "You're welcome"

Falkner was stunned for some seconds, before he had the chance to put some words together, and he answered in a rather bitter tone "I don't need a baby sitter to follow me, I am a bird master and I can watch myself"

He then cursed himself in the moment that words left his mouth, but instead of getting upset, Morty smiled "What? Am I so silly?"

"No, you're cute"

"I am not, stop treating me like a stupid puppy, you all!"

The ghost master raised both his hands in sign of peace "Sorry, I didn't mean that"

"Fine. Anyway, what are you doing around here?"

The blonde looked at his feet, lightly blushing "I…I needed to left while you were at the hospital, and just wanted to see how you were….you know, we must be friendly between gym leaders…" a little moved by that cute expression, Falkner let the shield fall "I'm having something to eat, wanna join me?"

Morty looked nervously around as to ensure not to be seen "Ehm..why not?"

Falkner poured them both a cup of tea and served some petit biscuits "I'm sorry, I don't have anything special, but I don't pay all this attention to the quality of food"

Morty gave him a warm smile "That's just fine thank you"

The bird master noticed his guest's hands were trembling, just then he saw Morty wore rather heavy clothes despite it was middle spring and the weather was pretty warm.

"Are you sure you are okay?" he asked skeptically "You're trembling like a leaf and it's almost twenty-three degree Celsius outside…"

"Oh, no, don't worry. It's nothing, sometimes it happens, something connected with the nervous system"

"Okay…" noticing the subject was making Morty feel nervous, Falkner decided to change topic "How did you hear me in the middle of the forest? People in Violet City heard nothing, and it's the same length as Ecruteak so…how?"

The blonde rose a corner of his mouth as to smile shyly "Well, I was having a walk…"

"In the middle of the night?" Falkner's eyes were open wide

"I could get no sleep….and I heard you…the rest of the story, you know too well"

"Yes. And where did you go after bringing me to the hospital?"

"Ehm, my boyfriend… he is looking for Suicune… and I am helping, while you were at the hospital, he called me saying the pokèmon was located somewhere around Cerulean City, and I had to follow…"

Something in Morty's voice alarmed Falkner, it was like the boy had something to hide; something he wanted to confide but wasn't sure of "I understand, duties are duties. Where's your boyfriend now?"

"He's in Cianwood City, he would have called if he needed any help… actually I took advantage of his temporary departure to come and visit you…he's all the way jealous and, he could get upset if he knows…and I don't like to see him upset…"

Falkner raised a brow "Jealous of me? Why? He doesn't even know me, and even if you are here, we've never had a real conversation until ten minutes ago. And anyway, if we were friends, there's nothing to be jealous for some time spent together"

In that moment, the lost Spearow appeared from the back of the kitchen pecking on Falkner's head, he grabbed the pokemon chuckling "Here you are! You've escaped again!"

The little bird turned to face Morty, and as soon as it recognized him, jumped on his lap playfully "Hey…do you wanna play with Gengar?" the ghost master called out his Gengar which, recognizing the Spearow, played with it, both rolled happily into the floor.

For the first time in the day, Morty noticed Falkner smiling "They're cute and happy together" sighed the ghost master, leaning his head on hand "You know, it's the first time Gengar trusts a pokèmon it has just met"

Their eyes met for a second, then they both turned their faces away, knowing they were staring at each other.

Morty coughed standing up "Ahem…thank you, may I help washing them up?" he asked holding the empty cups and plates in his hands

"Oh, no it's fine…"

"You are still half injured"

Falkner grunted in protest, but then knew it was useless.

Morty soaped and washed the dishes carefully, Falkner looked at him, and noticed he didn't hitch his sleeves up "Hey, your sweater's gonna get wet…"

The other answered without turning his face "It doesn't matter, water's gonna dry sometimes"

"If it's fine to you, it's fine to me too" said the bird master, shrugging.

When Morty was finished, his pokegear rang "Yes? Don't worry love, I'm on my way back home…I was training…..yes, sure…it wouldn't happen anymore….no one, I swear!...okay see you there"

Falkner could swear to have seen a glimpse of fear in those violet orbs, and the expression on Morty's face at the end of the call was everything but reassuring. The blonde rose his head to meet Falkner's concerned look "It's okay…I…It's better I go now…thank you for your company…"

Before the bird master could say anything, the other hurried towards the door, going out as to run.

Falkner stared at him going away, feeling some kind of sad in his own, what was going on?

For two weeks, Falkner heard nothing from Morty, when one morning, he was woken by a powerful knock on his door, he opened to a man with a white cape, light brown hair held back like a miltank just have licked them, with a lone rebel bang on his face, he was glaring at him "So what were you doing with my boyfriend?"

Falkner widened his eyes "Me? Your boyfriend? I'm sorry I think you've mistaken person…"

"Don't try to fool me! I know Morty was here! You let him in!"

Here was the boyfriend Morty talked about, looking at him with attention, Falkner asked himself what could be fascinating in that man

"We did nothing apart drinking a tea together, he came here to know how I was with my injured shoulder. What do you want from me? You don't know me, you can't even state if I like boys or not!"

Eusine shook his hand "You all say the same bullshits! Stay away from him! He is _mine_!"

That word made Falkner's precarious patience be lost "Hey! You're not talking about an object! Even if I don't know him well, you have no right to say this about a person!"

The white caped man grabbed Falkner from the collar of his shirt, growling at his face "Listen to me, you little bird, if I catch you again with my boyfriend you'll better leave the region, cuz I don't know what I could be able of!"

Even if he noticed Eusine was ways stronger than he actually was, the bird master didn't fear his threatening "Dare to touch or bother me again, and then there will be you the one who has to leave the region!"

"Don't joke, buddy! You will regret it! I put stronger people KO, I don't fear you!"

With that, Falkner was abruptly shoved on the ground, he watched as Eusine left, and then shouted behind him "I don't know how that boy could be so loyal to a pig like you! If I was in his shoes I'd not thought about breaking up with you for a second longer!"

The man turned back, approaching Falkner and lowering at his eye level "You really think that boy is a saint? Well, maybe he should tell you all the truth from his past…"

With that, Eusine left, leaving Falkner thoughtful on the ground.

He didn't go to the gym that day, Eusine's words left him stunned, he tried to figure out what Morty could have done again and again, but yet there was nothing useful that came up to his mind.

He thought about the particular of his sleeves down during the washing up, or the fact that he wore heavy clothing in a rather hot period. Could he be some kind of self-mutilating person? This was the most reasonable explanation he could give, and Morty's odd behavior and mood changes seemed to confirm that theory. Having to deal with ghosts and a boyfriend like that, should be a very hard psychical pressure.

A knock on the door shook him from his thoughts, he opened to find the former Elite Four psychic master Will, the two had been friends for quite long now, as Will helped Falkner with training a Natu he found. And their friendship improved during the years.

"Hey, Will, what brings you here?"

The masked man smiled "I was bored of being at the _Indigo Plateau_, today Lance left because, _he had to catch a wild Bagon that was creating problems…_"

Falkner raised a brow "You don't seem so convinced about it…"

"I know what _Bagon_ he talked about, I have a blind eye, but I'm not stupid. I noticed how that ex-Hoenn Champion is around him, and Lance could be how emotionless he wants, he couldn't hide it: his cheeks turn purple every time his crush's name comes out!"

"Are you talking about Wallace? The one that was the water type gym leader in Hoenn before?"

Will shook his head "No. He isn't interested in men as far as I know, and anyway, he doesn't match Lance. I'm talking about Steven, he was the steel master, he kept the charge for two years I think then left it to Wallace to dedicate his life finding stones. I don't know how they met, I tried to peek my nose in, but when I asked the stubborn dragon almost shot me."

The bird master chuckled "I'd never said Lance could be a lover…"

"Me neither, but I'd never swear me and Sabrina would ever got together either"

"Why haven't you visited her yet?"

"I'm going this afternoon, she had some challengers to fight in the morning"

Will noticed Falkner's temporary absence "Hey dude, is everything alright?"

"Almost…what do you know about Morty?"

"That he is an idiot, that's all! I've known him for years and he still keeps on being together with that rat called Eusine. That damned man is using his paranormal powers to find and catch Suicune, yet the poor stupid doesn't want to break up!"

"I noticed…"

A smile painted on Will's lips "Someone here is getting a crush?"

Falkner became red in face "M..me? No! He helped me when I was wounded catching a Spearow…then he came back to see how I was…we ate something together, nothing more. But that damned white cape must have mistook it all, accusing me to cheat!"

"I know what you're talking about. I've been with Sabrina for three years now, yet, every time I go to Ecruteak and visit Morty, I always have to deal with that poop face pissing me off! He is possessive, he threats Morty like some kind of object, and this is not natural!"

Falkner nodded "I noticed it..and I'm afraid he reacts by cutting himself or stuff like that"

"What?"

"Yes, have you ever noticed he wears a scarf even though it's almost summer? And that sweater? Think that he didn't even bother to pull his sleeves up while doing the washing up!"

"I'd not be surprised if he does like this"

"I don't know, I might be acting like a fool, but I'm concerned about that guy, and even if I barely know him, I'd like to help him to snap out of this situation…"

Will sighed "I wish you good luck then, Eusine is a piece of asshole! You know last year he was clearly flirting with my brother? Thanks to Arceus Lucian's not one to be easily fooled, but he had to turn him down several times before the idiot understood. That's why I say he sees Morty like a toy, nothing more. Maybe he's not even attracted, but he's useful to him"

"So, he could flirt with anyone while the other can't even hold a conversation?" Falkner clenched his fists "If I just catch him again…I'm gonna cook spaghetti sauce with what's left of his body!"

Will couldn't hold back a laugh "You seem to be brave enough, and anyway, whenever you need help, just remember me and Sabrina are here."

Falkner looked up at his friend "Thank you Will"

The psychic master smiled "It's nothing, I guess this is what good friends do"

_A hero's not afraid to give his life_

_A hero's gonna save me just in time_


	2. I'll be around

**Author's note:** I can't believe I succeeded to post the new chapter before my Organic Chemistry exam…I should be studying something connected with carbon and hydrogen, but I ended up writing about Falkner and Morty. I know this is a little too short =(( I hope you enjoy it anyway.

I don't know when the next chapter will come out, it depends on how I am put with the study. In fact, I wanted to post this chapter yesterday, but right now I'm too tired to even look down and correct it.

**Disclaimers:** I don't own neither the lyrics, nor the pokèmon characters, non the divine music of those amazing Swedish guys =P

**Song:** I'll be around by Blowsight

* * *

_And when you seem to never get there_

_Looking into the past_

_And when you don't believe the ending_

_Even though it's always last_

"Damned it! The Spearow ran away again!" Falkner snorted opening the cages "Pidgeot! Why didn't you tell me anything?" the bird pokemon glared at him, and turned its head offended "Don't look at me like that! You know you had to tell me! Now where the hell can I find it?"

Pidgeot swelled his chest releasing a deep sigh of annoyance and turning away, forcing the poor Falkner to run past it "Hey..wait!" panted the bird master "Ok, ok, ok. I'm sorry, I know you didn't do it on purpose…"

The pokemon didn't turn to face him, it was staring at a point near the gym's entrance "Hey, what are you looking at?" Falkner made a step forward trying to catch his mate's view, and then his breath was caught. He had to rub his eyes more than once. There, in front of him stood a middle age man, he wasn't so much taller than Falkner was; he just stood on the entrance, chewing a feather in his mouth, his light blue hair shone with the sun.

Falkner stared at him eye-to-eye, the same shade of orbs, some moments passed before the man finally decided to speak, he crossed his hands over his chest, smirking with the feather moving up and down as his lips traced the words "Falkner, is this the little Pidgey I gave you when you was young?"

He stroke the pokemon on the forehead, Falkner bit his lip nervously "You…you…they told me you were dead"

"Seems they were wrong, it's been a while since we last saw"

"Thirteen years" came the cold reply "You left for adventure because life at home was so boring, do you have the least idea on what you made me and mom pass trough? She was so worry about you she got sick! And her conditions got worse when we were told you were dead! If you weren't, why you have never came back? Why? Just a second more was enough!"

"Now I am here, Falkner, do you think I didn't miss you for all this time long?"

"It's a little too late to say it, isn't it?"

"Why do you have to be so mean towards me? I came back just to see you"

"Couldn't you do this a little earlier? No, I've closed with you!"

The man lowered his look and laughed "You're always the same, you don't give forgiveness whenever someone gets you wrong..I missed you, come here and give me a hug" he said softly, opening his arms.

The bird master clenched his teeth "So? Is this how you do? Leaving me and mother alone, making us believe you were dead in a godforsaken land, letting your wife die for the pain and then just spring pretending a hug? I'm sorry but I can't make it! I'll never forgive you!" he shoved past his father "Now, I'm sorry I have something important to do, and I'll be glad to see you vanished when I'm back!"

Walker stared at his son walking towards the forest followed by his loyal Pidgeot and he couldn't stop a sensation of sadness growing up inside him. Skarmory pecked at his shoulder friendly. "Come on dude, let's go away, I understand it's not a good time to visit him, he still needs to cool off"

**/Meantime in Ecruteak City/**

"It's in Fuchsia City"

Eusine looked up at Morty "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I succeeded to foresee it, even if a little numb…"

"How many times do I have to repeat you I don't need numb images? I'll go there, I hope Suicune is in Fuchsia City. If you follow me.."

Morty rose weakly his hands up in sign of defense "But…Lance was pissed off the last time I left, he said I can't take holidays so often during the year…." He hid his face behind his hands

"Right, right, right, I understood, the dragon tamer should find a hobby to blow boringness away different from scolding his gym leaders…I'll go on my own for this time, but, remember: don't try to cheat on me while I'm out!"

The ghost master shook his head, eyes plastered on the ground "No, I won't"

"Fine."

Morty sighed laying on his bed, he took advantage of his loneliness to take his heavy clothes off and let his skin breath a little, he laid motionless on the ground, trying to stop tears flowing out from his eyes. His soul torn from the years of sufferings behind.

Shadows from the past, and he was the one and only who had to deal and fight with them.

Gengar stood there, looking at its trainer painfully, the pokèmon got closer to offer some kind of comfort. Morty smiled at his mate "Thank you. You are my one and only friend"

"Spearow! Come on, stop playing! I'm here! Let's go back home!"

Falkner called his pokemon's name aloud in the forest. Nothing.

Looking carefully in a trunk, he noticed some feathers were there "So…it headed towards north"

The bird master stepped outside the forest to find himself in Ecruteak City, a trace of mud spots and feathers leaded to a house near the gym "Damn it! It's gone to Morty's, and now? If that white cape idiot is around I have to argue with him too….fuck! What a good day!"

He cursed getting closer to Morty's place.

He paced around, hoping the little bird was somewhere outside, and that no one in the surroundings would have noticed him.

Morty heard a peck on his kitchen door, as soon as it noticed the noise too, Gengar ran towards the source of the rumor all jumping and smiling, the ghost master needed some moments to figure out what was going on. Time to put a robe on and he was opening the door. When the wood was pushed, a little Spearow came out jumping on his shoulder and tickling his neck "H…Hey… what are you doing here? Falkner would be looking for you"

The bird seemed not to pay attention to him, as it jumped directly on the floor and before the ghost master could tell anything, they were running after each other.

He went after the pokemon, following them to the living room, he gently gathered the little bird from the ground

"Come on, dude, you're making your trainer to worry. It's not nice"

Morty had his hand on the doorknob, when he realized he was still in boxers and robe, the only thought made him flush "Oh, shit…" he laid the Spearow down "Gengar, please give it an eye"

When he came back, he took the bird in his arms once again "Come on, let's bring you back home"

The ghost master felt strange as he walked towards the door, he could swear his muscles were relaxing and so did his nerves, at the same time, there was the hint of worrying growing up inside of him.

The odd sensation was explained as soon as he opened the door and found Falkner with a hand risen, ready to knock. The blue haired boy blushed when he saw Morty holding his lost pokemon "I'm sorry…Pidgeot told me nothing…."

Morty smiled seeing the reaction on Falkner's face "Don't worry, it's okay, I was bringing it back to Violet City"

But the bird master seemed not to keep attention to his words "I mean…Pidgeot wasn't completely wrong after all, if I only knew…I promise I'll leave at once"

The ghost trainer chuckled at Falkner's clumsiness "Hey, it's fine. You look a bit upset, wanna come in and talk about that?"

The bluehead raised an eyebrow "And what are we gonna do with your boyfriend? He almost killed me when you came"

"He's gone now, and here people tends to think for their own business"

The welcoming smile convinced Falkner, as he followed Morty inside to the living room

"Something to drink?"

"No, thanks, I'm okay." Falkner's face looked upset, Morty sat beside him "Is this for Eusine?"

"No. I don't get on well with him, but there's no reason to be _this_ upset towards him. " he took a deep breath "Well, it's about my father. He showed up this morning."

"I was sure he was dead…"

"That's what I thought too, until I saw him today. The asshole came to me, after thirteen years pretending nothing was happened. He seemed so natural when he asked me for a hug! I'm disgusted…"

"Why did he leave?" asked Morty in a rather soft tone.

Falkner almost yelled his answer throwing arms in the air "Adventure! Can you believe that?"

"Honestly, not. It seems an excuse to hide something different, maybe he had his good reasons…"

"I don't care! He never wrote, never called, never came back to visit not even for a second! Whatever explanation he could have given does not justify his behavior! I grow up without parents, my poor mom died when I was ten…" tears formed up in his eyes as he spoke "…I remember her on the bed, everyday asking if he was back, I waited outside, staring at the sky and praying to see his Skarmory flying back…" he took a deep sigh, trying to sound natural, his words turning from sadness to bitter anger "…the police called, one night, they told a corpse was found in a desert in Hoenn region, according to their description, it was him himself. My mother couldn't hold on anymore. She cried on and on….she died after a month." Falkner was staring at the emptiness in front of him "I denied him as a father from that day. And the fact that he still breathes is indifferent, he's dead for me!"

Morty rubbed his back to comfort him "I'm sorry…" he whispered, Falkner shook his head, then rose it a little, smiling "It's me the one who have to be sorry, I made you bored"

"No problem at all. Do you feel better now?"

"Yes…" he took breath "Well, I'm pretty disappointed by myself…you know, when I saw him today for a fraction of second…I felt I was happy, I…I was glad to saw him…It's not this way that it works"

"He's your father, those feelings are natural." Morty turned Falkner's head to make an eye contact "Listen to me. I know this stuff is not my business, that maybe I shouldn't tell you what to do, but…go and talk to him, listen to his side of the story, at least all your doubts would be erased. Take your time, there's a reason if he came back as well as I'm sure there is a good or bad one why he left."

"I have to think about it, consider it for a little longer, I'm not sure I want to do it"

"If you need any help in finding him, remember I am here. I can easily detect him wherever he is. "

"I don't want to take advantage of you, Morty. I can find him by myself" said Falkner softly "And anyway, I'm almost sure he's gonna show up again. He's not one to give up that easy"

"No bothering for me, it was me that offered, after all. Feel free to call me or catch me whenever you need…when Eusine's not at home"

Even though Morty's fear for Eusine wasn't very pleasuring for him, Falkner decided to pass over and ignore the last sentence "Well, so, thank you"

Here, completely unexpected, Morty took his hand and squeeze it, causing the bird master to blush "You are stronger than you think. Don't let the past kill yourself. If you face the challenge now, you won't regret it"

"Ow, err…I…thank you again, but…I think I must go now, I left the Pidgey alone and still have to feed them all" exclaimed Falkner jumping up and letting go of his hand, Morty smiled and followed "Well, I think I should go to my gym too, Lance would get really mad this time…"

The ghost master kept the door open for Falkner, who crossed the doorway with the head a little hanged and face still a bit flushed "S..so…see you again?"

Morty nodded "See you again. Keep me informed on how things are going with your father"

Falkner nodded, turning on his heels, in the middle of the way, he heard Ecruteak's gym door closing, and when he turned around, Morty was gone.

Falkner stared at the building for few minutes.

_Don't let the past kill yourself_

_You really think that boy is a saint? Well, he should tell you the truth from his past…_

These sentences rang out in his head louder and louder. He knew he shouldn't give weight to Eusine's words, that the man told them just to keep him away from Morty, yet the boy was way too mysterious, he was curious, and maybe something more to find out what was wrong with his past, what was that black spot Eusine pointed to.

And now, he could feel something dramatically changing in his heart for that good looking ghost trainer.

The blonde offered him help for the second time to solve a private question. Was it a kindness excess or that ghost was starting to grow interest towards him too?

Anyway, two problems were too much to be taken care of at the same time. He needed to solve them one by one, and seeing that things between Morty and Eusine were too unstable, and that he still knew very few of the ghost master, he decided to go and face his father first, once he'd get rid of him, he would have gone back to Morty and tell him the results, hoping to find out something more about the mysterious gym leader, and wishing to make the white cape bitch vanishing.

_And when you feel you've been mistreated_

_And no one dares to make a sound, then you know_

_Where to go-I'll be around_


	3. Emotionless

**Author's note:** After insulting my book and seeing my best friend freaking out dancing to "Bandit for life" with a broom, I think it's time to stop talking about alkenes now. Who's ever said I would have succeed to update this shit?

I would have liked to make my fic more longer, but I have to admit a lack of creativity lately, so there will be just another one (or two) chapter(s) after this. I'm sorry, but I noticed that it all'd be ruined if I added others. Truth to be told, I've been thinking about other songs, but then, there would be some very short chapters(and with that I mean, no more than 500 words, which is really too much short!).

I know in the part of the lyrics I chose there is a "we" (referred to the Madden twins) but I don't like to change lyrics just because Falkner doesn't have a brother u.u I choose this song because I think it matches the relationship with Falkner and his father perfectly.

I know, I know Falkner receiving his pokèmon at the age of seven years old is still a little too early. But as he is a gym leader I think he should have been pushed by something. And anyway he doesn't to battles in the beginning…

And I know that I choose a rather long piece, but I didn't like to cut it.

**Disclaimers:** I don't own neither pokemon, nor a single word of this wonderful song lyrics, got that? All credits goes to Good Charlotte and the creators of pokemon.

**Song:** Emotionless by Good Charlotte

* * *

_It's been a long hard road without you by my side _

_Why weren't you there all the nights that we cried_

_You broke my mother's heart_

_You broke your children for life_

_It's not okay, but we're alright_

_I remember the days you were a hero in my eyes_

_But those where just a long lost memory of mine_

_Now, I'm writing just to let you know that I'm still alive _

The room was small, dusty and dark. Falkner cursed himself for not having cleaned the closet for a while. On the top of a second choice wood bookshelf, laid a paper box, the material was turning yellow, why there wasn't any trace of mildew, would be a mystery for Prof. Oak too.

The bird master went tip-toe, yet he was still too short, he wasn't able to take it down without any damage. He went back to the kitchen to provide himself a chair; after avoiding the risk to stumble and roll on the ground in the few stairs, he finally got to reach the damned thing.

Falkner used a cloth to clean the surface of the box from dust, avoiding to bring dirt into the living room.

It took him quite long moments in which he stared at the box before he decided to eventually open it.

Here it comes an old photo. He was still a babe in arms. His mother was on the bed, her black glowing hair could be seen even if the photo was turned yellow, behind her there was a grinning Walker in nothing less than a cotton shirt, he had both his hands on his wife's shoulders, his face plastered to the woman's.

_It's always easy in the beginning, wasn't it? Having a baby was a new adventure, but the shiver can't last forever…_

Thought Falkner, leaving a deep sigh out. He set the photo aside on the coffee table, inspecting further into the inside of the box, he found a small silver chain with a feather shaped pendant at the bottom.

Falkner closed his eyes. He could remember the day his father gave him that when he was four years old.

"_Daddy, daddy! Can I ride Skarmory on my own?"_

_Walker chuckled taking the kid in his arms "Don't you think about that. You're still too young!"_

"_But…but…I've got taller lately…yesterday I reached the cookies box on the counter without help!" _

"_Well, when you'll succeed to get the chocolate snacks on the third shelf, maybe I'll let you…"_

_He then settled both himself and his children on Skarmory's back. The pokèmon flew over the sea, leaving Falkner open mouthed. _

_They landed home some minutes before dinner time _

"_Daddy, will I ever learn to fly like you do?"_

_Walker stroke his child's hair "You'll do it little son, you'll succeed it better than me!" he then took the necklace off his neck, putting it on his son's "Here . When I caught Skarmory, your granddad gave me this as a reward, whishing me luck"_

"_And did it work?"_

_Walker smiled again taking the boy in his arms and walking towards the entrance "Well, I married your mother a little later. And then you were born, so I think it will bring you a very good luck" _

_Falkner pressed the pendant to his chest, looking at his father with glassy blue eyes _

"_You promise you won't lose it?" asked Walker pressing lightly with his index finger on Falkner's nose_

"_No daddy! I promise…I swear it!" _

Falkner looked at the pendant once more, he clenched it in his fist, trying to remind when he decided to take it off, meanwhile he took out a stuffed Farfetch'd, it was unstitched on the back side and the peck turned gray from yellow that it originally was.

The bird master instinctively brought it to his chest, squeezing it lightly, letting a tear fall down at the memories.

"_Hey, wanna your animal back, buddy? Well, I'm sorry, your Farfetch'd decided to die today…"_

_The bully laughed holding the stuffed pokemon up so that Falkner couldn't reach it_

"_Give it back! Don't hurt it!"_

_The kid smirked throwing the object up and down. Attempting to catch it, the poor little Falkner fell on the ground, scratching his face._

"_And you are supposed to be Walker's son? Aha, buddy, you're pretty girlie! Sissy!" _

_Enraged, Falkner reached to bite one of the boy's ankle, almost making it blood. The decision just turned the things worse , as the bully kicked him, making him fall again, burning tears of anger and pain flowed on his cheeks as soon as he realized he was done. _

"_Hey! Stop it immediately!" _

_The bully felt a strong hand grabbing him from the wrist and lifting him up, the light brown hair on his head almost prickled facing an all-but-happy Walker "So, do you think hitting and threatening younger and weaker kids makes you a macho?"_

"_No, Mr. I, I mean, we were just playing! Isn't that right, Falkner?" he attempted to convince the victim with a fake smile, but before Falkner could even answer, Walker was growling back "I don't like these games at all. Well, if I catch you around here again, or my son just reports me you bothered him, I assure you it would be hard for you to be forgiven! Understood?"_

_He left the kid falling, and just in few seconds the bully vanished in the middle of the city. _

_Walker checked on his son's forehead that was bleeding "It's just a scratch, don't worry." He handed him the stuffed pokemon back, Falkner secured it under his arm "How did he wound you?" _

"_He was holding Farfetch'd, I fell trying to get it, but he was too tall…I bit his ankle, and he gave me a kick"_

"_Oh, gosh…Come on, let's go get you some disinfectant"_

_The kid watched steadily to the ground "Dad, is it true I am a sissy?"_

_Walker let out a sigh "You bit his ankle, no sissy would have done that!"_

The stuffed pokemon was laid on the coffee table, Falkner stroke its three hair on the head once more, smiling "If I get that damned bully back, I assure I'll give him more than a stupid bite on the ankle!"

The box was almost empty, just two objects were left, he let out one, and it was a framed picture of him and his family out on a picnic, the three of them sat peacefully on a squared white and red cloth on the grass, Walker was on the left, one arm around his wife's shoulders, the other holding the camera.

Falkner was on his knees giving some cake crumbs to Pidgey.

His pokèmon cried happily at the sight of the picture, Falkner turned around caressing it on the top of its head "Look Pidgeot: this is me and you, the first time we met.."

"_Ssst!" Walker suddenly stopped walking, they were in the middle of Ilex Forest, his wife plastered behind him "What's that Walky?" _

_Falkner wrapped his hands on his father's trousers "Dad! It comes from the bushes! It's a cry!" and with that, he ran to the source of the noise "Falkner: wait! Don't go there alone!" yelled his mother._

_Walker ran behind, leaving his Dodrio to watch his wife. Skarmory flew behind him. _

_His son was nowhere in sight "Falkner!" _

_A sharp cry made Walker hurry towards where berry bushes were growing, he literally cut them down finding his son curled into a ball in a side surrounded by a flock of four angry Spearow "Skarmory: use iron wing!" _

_With that attack, the Skarmory made all the birds fly away into the forest._

_Walker kneeled down all worried "Hey, are you well?"_

_Falkner was crying "I am, but it isn't" he was holding a clearly wounded Pidgey, the tiny bird was hiding his head in Falkner's chest _

"_Leave it on the ground…let me deal with it"_

_His son obeyed and Walker threw the Pidgey a pokèball. _

_The ball rocked on the ground three times before the red signal on the button turned off. He then let the pokèmon out and hands his son a bunch of berries_

"_Give it those, he will feel better"_

_After some moments the creature turned all lively again, it jumped and nuzzled in Falkner's arms, lightly pecking at his nose. _

_Walker handed his son the pokeball "Here. It seems to pretty like you" _

"_Walker! Falkner! How are you?" _

_The woman hugged both son and husband "Don't scare me like that again!" she lowered to check on her child "Falky, are you hurt honey?"_

"_Look mom! Dad just caught me a pokèmon!"_

_His mother stroke the Pidgey's feather friendly "It's nice, you two make a nice couple together" _

"_What does Pidgey evolve into, dad?" _

"_It becomes Pidgeotto first, and then it will turn into a wonderful Pidgeot if you train it for good" _

"_It will become the strongest Pidgeot in the world!"_

_His mother stood up adjusting her shirt and trousers "Well, aren't we having this picnic anymore? The fight must have made you hungry!"_

"Damn it, Pidgeot, we still have such a long way to go…but you've sure improved from that day"

And then it comes the last, forgotten and most painful piece. There was a scarf, a plaid patterned one, in blue and white. It was all dirt and torn. Falkner bit his lip nervously and so strong he could almost feel blood flowing out.

_A ten year old Falkner sat on the stool beside his mother's bed, the woman was laying almost motionless, she lost lots of pounds, and was just skin and bones, she was sweating for the high fever that was devouring her._

_Falkner put another wet cloth on her forehead. _

"_Mommy…how do you feel?" _

_The answer came out as a hiss "Alright Falkner, mommy's gonna get well soon" _

_Soon. She has been saying that for the last three years, but here conditions were getting worse day by day. _

_Nurse Joy accompanied Falkner in the living room "Let your mom rest, Falkner. She needs it" _

_The child didn't protest, he knew that nurse Joy was telling him this for his mother's wellness. _

_He stared at the window as he used to lately, holding the pendant his father gave him, hoping to see him coming back riding his Skarmory from a moment to another. _

_A knock on the door. _

_Filled with hopes, Falkner hurried to open it. But there wasn't his father, just a police officer. _

_The man knelt down making eye-contact with him "Hey, Falkner. Are you alone?"_

"_Nurse Joy is in the other room with Mom" _

"_May I talk to her, please"_

_Falkner turned to go and call the nurse, when he noticed the piece of cloth the policeman was holding "Hey! That's daddy's scarf! Have you seen him?" he asked hopefully. _

_The policeman seemed startled by the sudden reaction "I…ehm…this is not your father's scarf, it's mine…"_

"_Liar! Look! There's his name embroidered!"_

"_But…I can assure you it is mine, my name is Walker too.."_

_The child stood straight, looking really upset "Liar! This is my dad's! You stole it to him! Where is he?"_

_The man tried to calm the kid down "Hey, don't get mad…I can…"_

"_Shut up! Where is my dad?"_

_Attracted and bothered by the noise, nurse Joy came out from the room, glaring at the couple on the door "Madam is trying to sleep!"_

_The policeman rose on his feet "Nurse Hoy, here you are I need to talk to you in private" _

_Falkner tugged at nurse Joy's skirt "Don't listen to him! He is a liar! He stole dad his scarf and made him something bad!" _

_The nurse patted on his back softly "Calm down, Falkner, let me deal with the situation. Why don't you go and feed Pidgey, now?" _

_Reluctantly, he did as asked, moving to the kitchen. _

_Even if he was in another room, he could clearly hear the conversation. _

"_What's up?"_

"_We found Walker"_

"_So? Where is he? Does he know his wife is dying and his son isn't eleven yet?"_

_Nurse's tone was bitter _

" _I think it's impossible, he is dead."_

"_What?"_

"_Our colleagues from Hoenn called, there was a half-decomposed body in the desert. It had this scarf on…"_

_He left the water cup falling on the floor, the noise attracted the two people's in the hall attention. The nurse hurried to reach him "Falkner…."_

"_Don't say a word! He left us on purpose, didn't he?"_

"_Falkner, that was an accident!"_

_The young boy torn the necklace from his neck, throwing it on the ground. _

"_He said it brought luck. He lied"_

_Falkner walked outside, Joy ran after him, trying to catch him "Falkner! Wait! Where are you going? Come back!"_

_He turned all angry, eyes reddened "No! He left us alone on purpose! He didn't care!"_

"_Come on, don't be so cruel.."_

"_No! I hate him!" _

_Some times after, his mother passed to a better life too, and he was left alone. Nurse Joy took him on her shoulders until he was old enough to look at himself. _

_After his mother's funeral he tried to delete everything regarding his father, he threw everything in the bin, nothing excluded. He just took few things apart. As the two pictures, the stuffed Farfetch'd, the scarf and the pendant, just because they were things that didn't concerned just his father. _

_The scarf was actually put inside later by nurse Joy, she could have never imaged the effects the piece of cloth would have years later. _

Falkner felt the feeling of hate growing up inside him again, and then the doubts "Why did he never show up 'til now?" asked to himself in a low, sighing voice. He needed to catch his father and talk to him face to face.

"Pidgeot, come on! Fly me to Azalea Town!"

Once he reached the town, he headed for Ilex Forest, he knew exactly where his father was.

Falkner ran past the berry bushes, where there were some rocks. Walker was sitting facing a tree, Skarmory at his side.

"I knew you were here"

His father turned over "Falkner…"

"I'll give you a single chance. Speak now or never more. It's not said I'm never forgetting you, but I wanna see clear through all this mess you created!" he barked out.

Walker came closer to him, a sorry look on his face "Son…" he whispered reaching his hand up to strike Falkner's arm.

"My name is Falkner." Pointed the other retreating at the physical contact.

"Whatever… I know I was wrong. I left you with a silly excuse and never came back…and let me say that, I'm really sorry you think that it was my fault if your mother got sick.."

Falkner glared at him "Wasn't it? Uh? She started feeling bad some times after you left"

Walker shook his head "I know that, but I couldn't go back, and quit what I was doing"

"I guess that exploring ruins was much more important than staying with your family" replied Falkner bitterly. His father turned serious and let out a shout "Will you shut the fuck up for some seconds? Please?"

Grunt.

"Well…I…I knew that your mother was ill about a month before I left. Do you know what Myxoma is?"

Falkner blinked "A tumor or something of the like?"

"Yes. As you know there are no cures knowing, but a old friend of mine was making researches on the matter. He begged me to help in finding a medicine. I…I..was so taken that I could not call you back or anything, I didn't had the time…I travelled a lot to get all the needed."

"And what about the scarf the policeman gave me?"

"I don't know it must have escaped from my neck while travelling over Hoenn! The corpse they found was some hiker trapped by the sandstorm months before"

"So, if you were alive, why didn't you show up until now, even after she was dead?" even if his tune was softer, Falkner couldn't hide the anger in his words

"I…I was ashamed of myself…we were so close to find some kind of bacteria that could have eat all the cancerous cells away when she died…I had no peace, Falkner, do you understand this? I know I'm some kind of rude animal, but believe me when I said that I've always loved you and your mother more than everything else! I really believed I could save her but I miserably failed. I was unable to take care of my family."

Sincerity in his eyes, Falkner could read it, and at the only thought his anger started to fade away "But..I was alone. Do you know what does it mean to know both your parents are dead when you're only ten years old? You could at least come just to say hello. I could have needed some help!"

"Falkner…I was a coward, your mother was ill and I was helpless…I knew I acted like a complete fool. But, after I knew she was dead I had to take time to accept that all the work that I did to keep her alive was useless…and I knew you were strong enough to survive on your own, you've always been…you didn't need me."

Falkner felt his eyes getting wet "So, it's everything about strength? Isn't it? Have you ever thought that I might have needed someone close to me, ready to comfort me when I was about to fall. Someone to just be near me and telling me everything would have turned better when I cried alone in my bed at night…" sobs replaces his words, while he covered the tears with his hands "I spent days and nights preying you would have showed up again! I…I.." he took a deep breath and whispered what came from his heart

"I missed you so much, dad!"

Walker took his son in his arms, just like when he was wounded by the bully. He rubbed his back "Shh, everything is alright now, don't you cry anymore…"

"Shut up…" came the muffled sound from Walker's leather jacket "…You missed at least eight years of childish tears, you have to make it up"

_And sometimes _

_I forgive_

_And this time, _

_I'll admit, that I miss you, I miss you_

_Hey Dad _


	4. Tension

**Author's note:** So…finally an A7X song among the others! (even if I think they had to deal with the creepiest chapter). I have at least another chapter planned, really can't say how long this would turn.

Neochempionshipping mentioned here(sorry I love them too much *_*)

Well, I guess now it's time for me to do the washing up, clean this sweat t-shirt and put my head back on the books! Bye

**Disclaimers:** I do not own pokèmon nor anything from Avenged Sevenfold

**Song:** Tension by Avenged Sevenfold

* * *

_Sometimes the pressure will just drive you crazy_

_At any time I could explode_

_I need some peace of mind, it's got me tired_

_Don't wanna lose it, but I'm turning down that road_

/"_Hello, this is Morty. I'm in a cave or somewhere my pokègear doesn't work, please leave a message"/_

Falkner coughed embarrassed "Hi…this is the first message…or well. It's the fifth time I tried to call you today. I'm sorry you haven't heard from me for two days but…" the bird master sighed rubbing his forehead "…well, I did as you suggested…things with my father are solved now, and I forgave him. I still can't believe it….well, I…I just wanted to thank you. I would have done it personally, but….are you in Kanto with Eusine? Damn it..I forgot this is a message! Well, call me back..bye"

He went to his gym, but was so nervous that he almost fell off the elevator missing to notice that it still had some times to arrive to the top.

All the young trainers stared at him, as he proceeded on pacing nervously from side to side of the waste room chewing on his nail.

Why was he so nervous? He and Morty were used to take a long distance of time before speaking to one another again. Sometimes months passed and it never bothered him this much, but these two days seemed longer and heavier.

He stopped pacing facing the wall.

_I haven't called him when I promised, he's sure mad at me!_

He was so taken by his thoughts that he didn't notice the noise of gears indicating someone was going to him.

When heard the steps of someone behind him, he didn't bother to turn "You have to face my pupils before reaching me"

"Well, I think I can do it fast"

Falkner froze in place, almost feared, he slowly whirled to see none less than the Dragon Tamer in person, face twisting in his (effective) manner to be menacing.

Actually Falkner had never met him in person, and even if he was a close friend to Will, surely Lance wasn't one who bothered to get to know his Elites acquaintances. Falkner stood froze, he was almost sure that if Lance had come, it wasn't for something good.

The man took his time, crossing the room with heavy steps, brows furrowed and his cape flying in the air making him something threatening. He was even taller than Falkner thought.

He saw red fiery eyes spotting him "Hello…" Falkner tried to sound normal "…may I help you?"

Lance nodded "Actually yes. I was looking for Morty, he isn't at his gym, _again_"

"So, how does it concern me?"

"I've just been asking all the gym leaders around here. Do you have any information?"

Falkner shook his head, he didn't want the others to know he had been looking for Morty lately. Knowing that the conversation would be a quite too personal, Falkner showed lance his study's entrance "We can speak better in here"

Lance followed and took a seat inside. The bird master closed the door without locking it. Lance tapped his foot on the wooden floor, impatiently, arms and cape crossed over his chest, he rose a brow as the younger placed himself in front of him "I've been calling him for about five or perhaps six times today and he didn't answer" his face had a pink flush, but Lance didn't bother to notice or care about, he just sighed out, annoyed "You don't say…"

"The point is that he wasn't supposed to be away!"

"He has a gym to run, he _can't_ be away for all this time"

"No, I meant...I met him two days ago. He helped me with a certain thing and…just asked me to say if it worked or not, assuring he wasn't leaving anymore…"

Lance snorted as he heard that story again and again "He always says that! I don't care what he said, I look at what he did. And he missed work once again. Now I'm fed up! His gym's going to someone else!"

"Lance, please don't….he's good you know, besides there aren't so many ghost trainers as able as he is in the surroundings! "

Lance glared as if he was about to spit fire and burn the poor Falkner alive " At least they will be _present_! I've had enough of that loafer! He's always somewhere else on holiday, and I have to reach complaints from the other gym leaders, trainers and also my Elites! If it's holiday what he likes, well then, I'll give him chance to make a very long one!"

Hearing all those lies on Morty's, Falkner lost his mind, it didn't matter there was Lance there, he just can't bear that an innocent guy had to find himself in such a trouble.

"_Loafer? Holidays?_ You're begged not to speak if you ignore things!"

Lance glared, and grew immediately furious against the angry figure of Falkner.

"What have you said? How you dare talking to me like that?"

"I dare, I certainly dare! He's not on holiday! He's just stuck with an asshole that for some unknown reasons, he can't get rid of. Having his gym lost wouldn't help it at all; but obviously you don't give a fuck about other people! You just stand on your dictator's throne, looking down to your gym leaders considering them nothing but brick of the wall that separates Jotho from Indigo Plateau! It's useless you threat Morty, it won't help the situation he is in!"

"If he can't take care of his problems, then he'd better leave!"

"You heartless dictator! If Morty doesn't deserve to be a gym leader, you don't deserve your position either! I'd see you better as a Team Rocket chief or something of the like!"

With that, Falkner really passed the line, and Lance went to the "dragon rage mode", he jumped up almost blocking the smaller trainer to the wall "Well, then you can forget to be a gym leader too! You'll be out as soon as I'll find a new one!"

The dragon tamer went away shutting the door so powerful that the small window broke. All the trainers looked stunned, still not believing who their master just picked a fight against.

A kid got closer the still enraged bird master "Falkner is everything alright?"

"Yes, can't you see? He's leaving" came the bitter reply, he then walked towards the elevators shoving an upcoming trainer away "Gym is closed today!"

Once again, after a good amount of chamomile to calm him down, Falkner composed Morty's number on the pokègear, this time, he was busy

_Damn it, Morty! _

He tried again and again. No response yet.

He furiously threw his pokègear to the couch, following the little device on the cushions. He felt bad, his head spinning. Too many emotions to handle in a single day. He was still asking himself why he even care about.

He adjusted himself on the couch. All he needed was a proper sleep. Every single bone ached like hell due to the pressure he was put through the latest days.

His eyelids were heavy, he fell asleep right there, in a position he would regret at his awakening.

He was shook awake from the sudden vibration of his couch, it took him few times before understanding that the pokegear under his belly was ringing

"Yes?"

/"You are an idiot! Among all the people you can pick a fight with, you chose Lance!"/

Will was squeaking on the other side

"I know I've been a jerk, but now I guess it's too late, and anyway, I don't care."

/"You must have gone mad! Falkner! I'm alright with your choice to let Morty out of his troubles, but don't put yourself in new ones!"/

"I reacted by instinct! He called him a _loafer_!"

Will released a deep sigh

/"Alright, I'll try to speak with him when he calms down, but can't assure you anything…I really hope that ghost trainer will appreciate your efforts, or…I really don't know what can I do him, even though he has advantage over me!"/

"Thank you Will…"

/"You'd better make him your excuses, I know it's a smack on the pride, especially for one like you, but you have to swallow this bitter medicine if you want to keep your position and help Morty, can't you see?" /

The psychic master assumed a rather serious tone, like he was a mother scolding his child. The bird master sighed an annoyed 'fine'. he didn't like apologizing when he thought he was right.

* * *

It was late night when Steven finally found his way back to Indigo Plateau. He had been stuck in his home in Mossdepp City classifying his most recent findings and putting all the schedules in order. Archive jobs were actually harder than digging ones.

He was outside Lance's room and noticed the light was still on

_He forgot to turn it off again, fine._

He was pretty surprised to find Lance still awake, sitting on the bed grasping the back of his hand with teeth.

Lance showing emotions, the entire world would have paid gold and platinum just to see a show like this. Steven was used to, he had always been actually since he came across with the dragon trainer the first time, he was able to see through that invisible yet thick wall that stood between Lance and his emotions.

"Insomnia?"

Joked the steel trainer, putting his rings and armbands in a paper box. No reply. He sighed, continuing to undress. He knew too well how to handle with this kind of situations.

When also his pants were removed, he crawled on the bed, sitting next to the dragon tamer, making him stop to eat his hand, expecting the skin it was terribly red and almost bruised "This won't help you"

Still no response. Steven scoot closer resting his head on the crook of Lance's neck; the dragon tamer wrapped him in his arms.

The steel master sighed, it was going to be a very long night.

After what seemed an eternity, Lance eventually spoke, his voice blank as he stared at the wall in front of him "Steven…" the steel master rose his head trying (and miserably failing) to make an eye contact with his lover "Yes, Lance?"

"Do you think I behave like a heartless dictator?"

Steven rose a questioning brow "Do I have to be pretty, or can I be honest?"

"You know ."

Admitting his defeat for trying to cheer Lance up, Steven answered "Well, I perfectly know you aren't. But I state this just because it's me. Although I have to admit that sometimes you act like a perfect asshole when some of your subordinates make any kind of trouble and who see the public Lance, can assume this as a dictatorship behavior. Where does this question come from anyway?"

Lance sighed "I had a fight…do you know Falkner?"

"Oh, the young flying type gym leader? The blue head? Yes…" he reflected, then faced his lover with wide eyes "Wouldn't you say you punched or hit that boy!"

"No, nothing of the like. I'm not this senseless! I went to look for Morty actually. He's missing again. I happened to be in Falkner's gym because I needed information. I told him about my intention of replacing Ecruteak's gym leader. He answered me that I had no right to say that Morty was on holiday or that he doesn't want to work because he had serious motives not to be in there, well, I told him my points and promised him to replace him as well. "

"And now you're feeling guilty…aren't you?"

Lance still looked down at his feet, Steven pulled his chin forcing the eye contact with the dragon tamer

"Aren't you?"

Red orbs trembling like a candlelight "I snapped because he told me I could be a Team Rocket chief… I really can't understand why he took it so bad"

Steven took a little distance to be able to speak clearly, he held Lance's shoulders firmly preventing him to turn away.

"Well, think for a moment if I was still the Hoenn Champion and I was missing because of…troubles with family…you are the only one to know. And someone from the high position comes and insults me calling me a loafer, what would your reaction have been like?"

Lance considered it for a moment. His least violent reaction would have been something like throwing the annoying people out of the nearest window.

"I think it wouldn't be pleasuring…but between me and you is different, we're together. They aren't"

"This doesn't prevent Falkner to have feelings"

Lance had moved closer, head hung, a sorry look on his face, the only sight made Steven's heart ache. The steel master grabbed him gently on the shoulders, pulling him closer

"Come here" he whispered, letting Lance's head resting on his chest, petting his hair.

"Do you think I should apologize?"

"Definitely yes"

* * *

The sharp whistle of the coffee machine going off woke Falkner up once again. He turned the boiling pot off, pouring himself a generous amount of the beverage.

He took a look at the clock, ten to nine, he had never slept that much, and even though, he felt he hadn't have enough. In fact, when someone knocked at his door, he was quietly sleeping with his face on the wooden table.

Thinking it was someone of his pupils came to ask him where he was, Falkner didn't bother to mess with dressing. He took his time to reach the entrance and opened. He almost jumped at the sight of the Dragon and the Steel masters on his door. He looked down at himself still in pajama, a shade of baby blue oversized one that made him look like a children.

He rubbed his eyes twice to verify he wasn't just dreaming.

"Ahem, good morning…" he said clearing his voice.

Steven spoke before Lance "Sorry, is it a bad moment?"

Falkner yawned "If you're not scared seeing me like this, I guess there's no problem" and he let them both in, offering them a seat in the living room.

After some forced chatting, Steven pretended to go on the other room with Falkner's Skarmory, giving them chance to talk alone, yet being ready to stop Lance if he was going to show off again.

There was a moment of embarrassing silence between the two, the first to break it was Lance.

"I haven't come here for coffee, you know"

Falkner leaned against the back of the couch, arms crossed and an expectant smirk on his face "So, what brings you here?"

The dragon tamer was emotionless as always, as he answered in a blank tone "I want to give you my formal apologizes, I know I shouldn't have said those things yesterday"

The bird master nodded, closing his eyes and leaving a deep sigh out "Well, my behavior wasn't better either. I know, it must be difficult to coordinate and check on eight different gyms plus the Elite four and the whole Pokemon League, and if you have to take every single gym leader's problem on your shoulders it becomes impossible."

Steven peeked from the door, Lance gave him a funny annoyed look, calling him to come back and join the small crowd in the living room again "If you wanted to hear why did you move outside?" asked the dragon tamer.

Falkner noticed his voice wasn't emotionless anymore and his eyes sparkled as he stared at the man with silver hair near him.

"I didn't want to be rude" cheered Steven letting his hand rest on his lover's leg, causing the Dragon Tamer to blush, and giving a moment of strange disorientation to Falkner too.

Lance tried to have his composure back, Falkner noticed the instant change when Steven was close. And it wasn't something forced, it was just spontaneous, he envied the two for a little moment.

"Anyway, all this business has taken my curiosity. What is happening to Morty?"

"I don't know honestly. He's way too mysterious, but I have reasons to think it's about that asshole he is with"

Steven and lance turned to face each other, then looked puzzled at Falkner

"Eusine, the white cape that haunts Suicune" he spitted out

Steven mumbled "This name is no new to me…" Lance glared down at him, who rose his hands in defense and answered the unspoken question with a rather annoyed tone "No! I had no relationship! I can assure you, first because I would have clearly remembered and second…I would never get together with someone holding that name! Where's the good taste gone?"

The answer caused Falkner to chuckle.

Reassured by the explanation, Lance turned his attention to Falkner again "Why do you suspect this?"

"You know, something like a month ago I happened to have an accident, I got wounded and he rescued me. He came back some time later to check on my status. He paid me a some minutes visit, we did nothing but chat. Somehow that man came to know that and almost beaten me up. And when he spoke about Morty, he treated him like he was just an object owned. Will told me the asshole uses Morty just to find Suicune, and that he loses no time in flirting with other men, and eventually bring them in bed. The oddest thing is that Morty still refuses to break up with him"

Lance slowly nodded "I knew nothing about this story"

"It's impossible he refuses to break up with Eusine because he loves him, there must be something under. I mean, if someone acts towards me like Eusine acts towards Morty I'd beat the shit out of him and break up on the spot"

Lance gave him a sharp glare "Yes Lance, this is a warning" he chuckled, making Falkner smile too.

"So, what are your intentions?" asked Lance

"I don't have the least idea on how to act, he told me he was at home because Eusine was in Fuchsia City and now he's disappeared "

Steven kept mumbling to himself "Eusine, Eusine…damn it, where the hell have I already heard this name? I need to do researches, maybe what you're saying is not incorrect…I will let you know"

Lance nodded and stretched a hand towards Falkner "Forget about what I said yesterday, you're not gonna be replaced and, if this problem with Morty is quickly solved I'll not act against him."

Falkner accepted the offered hand as they both stood up greeting each other.

"Thanks for your visit" smiled Falkner

"You're welcome"

He closed the door behind him and instantly sent Will a message

"_Everything's fixed. Don't move, don't speak, don't act."_

_I need a moment 'cause I've spread myself too thin_

_We all need a moment in our life_

_Work's hard, the day's too long_

_And that's just where it begins_

_Tension has had us all this time_


	5. Awake and Alive

**Author's note:** I Know, I know it's been a little too long while, but honestly I had such and hard time trying to find the right song -.- and anyway, I've been stuck in libraries lately and barely had time to type something good. This is NOT the last chapter, I don't know how many will be following, but this is not the last.

Sorry if I left Morty out for so long.

So, I finally found a song, actually is the second by Skillet, but I can't help it.

This chapter turned out to be a little too short, (and too cheesy for my tastes)

**Disclaimers:** I've been writing this for five chapters, do I really have to say again I don't own a fuck on lyrics and characters?

**Song:** Awake and Alive by Skillet

* * *

_In the dark_

_I can feel you in my sleep _

_In your arms I feel you breathe into me _

"You are useless!"

The fierce growl echoed in the emptiness of the sea "I must know you were wrong again!"

A shaking figure stumbled back on the rocks "I..I can assure you I felt it…I still do…if Suicune doesn't show up, there must be a reason!"

A powerful slap on his face made Morty stumble back again, almost falling into the threatening waves.

"You useless bitch!"

"Eusine, you know I'd never lied on purpose. I didn't. it's somewhere here!"

"It's always _somewhere here_! I need to know _where_ it is!"

When things have to turn wrong, Morty's pokègear rang again, and before he could have time to react, Eusine was on him, pinning the poor ghost trainer to the rocks and taking the device from his pocket, he scrolled down the received calls and messages, apart few of the pokèmon league, the others were all from Falkner.

Eusine plastered violently the screen against Morty's eyes "What the fuck does this mean? You are cheating on me with who? That whore of a bird trainer?"

"Don't call him like that!" Morty shouted, pretty surprised of the position himself suddenly took.

Another slap in his face "Are you answering me bad again? Don't you dare anymore! I swear if you don't stop seeing that bastard dud I'll smash both your shit asses down!"

"You wouldn't dare…"

"Oh, I'd dare, I'd dare and how I'll do it!" eyes turning sharp, as to shoot a leer to Morty from a moment to another "You will be bleeding so much that the whole sea won't be enough to clean it up!"

And then it came, all the years of suppression made the little spark of pride that was still hidden in Morty's heart explode, he jumped up, scrawling Eusine on the rocks with a punch on the mouth.

The white caped man stood up, cleaning the blood with his sleeve "Well, well, well. You can't raise against me! You know what will be waiting for you and your pretty little bird, if you even try to escape from me!" he growled before attacking Morty again. The blond locked his punch, shoving him to the ground and holding a firm grip on his arm, exerting pressure on the back of Eusine's elbow, threatening to break his arm.

The other turned his face to look at him "Are you really gonna hurt the person you love this way Morty, uh?"

A powerful stomp on his back shut him up "The person I love? What? I have never even _liked_ you. The only reason I've been taking all your abuses for all this time long was because I was too coward, but I've had enough! You have never given a fuck about me, all you want is to catch Suicune, and honestly, I don't think it's ever gonna show you, a sharp pokèmon doesn't make an alliance with a shit soul as you are! You know what? I'm leaving you. Find it on your own, and don't bother to come after and try to kill me, this time it would be pointless! You're gonna get in jail for sure!"

"What a dreamer! How would you get back to Jotho? We're in the middle of the sea, and none of your pokèmon know either surf or fly!"

Morrty leaned down, growling in his hear "Well, this means I'm going back swimming and walking, I don't give a fuck how long it will take to me, I could also die in the waves, but I won't be your slave anymore!"

Suddenly, Eusine stood up, getting free from Morty's grip and pushed him into the waves "Well, good luck then!" he shouted seeing Morty falling into the water.

He kept on flying down, the piercing breeze blowing all around him, he knew he was done. Before hitting the water, Morty closed his eyes getting ready to face the death. The only disappointed that hurt him, was the thought of Falkner left alone.

He landed on something soft and shining, that wasn't certainly water, even if it smelled like that. Coming back to his senses, he was surprised noticing what prevented him to fall and that was now jumping on the rocks.

A shiny blue dog with long violet fur weaving behind its head "Sui…Suicune?" he managed to whisper before he passed out.

Eusine looked at the dog getting lost in the waves, carrying Morty on his back. He made as to follow, but the dog was faster and disappeared even before he could even reach an hand to his pokèballs.

* * *

A ray of blue light in his eyes woke him up, Falkner slowly crawled out of the bed in order to check on the source of the odd light.

He was stunned as he saw nothing less than Suicune out of his yard, the pokèmon was trying to say him something.

Watching out, Falkner got closer, and was almost horrified at the sight he had of the almost lifeless man on the dog's back. He carefully slipped an arm under Morty's knee and the other around his shoulders, then looked at Suicune straight in the eyes. The pokemon scooted closer pushing Falkner's elbow with his nose as to beg him to hurry.

Falkner thanked it with a small nod, and stared until it jumped back and disappeared into the wood.

Taking care of not hurting him further, Falkner laid Morty on his bed, quickly checking for eventual broken bones. Luckily, everything seemed to be in order. He then carefully cleaned the wounds on Morty's face.

Then, he gently removed his scarf and headband. When it came to the sweater, what he saw underneath wasn't nice at all. Even if he was relieved to see no signs of auto mutilation, the body was almost full of bruises and wounds caused by someone else, who, he was sure to know.

Morty whimpered as a piece of cloth accidentally brushed against one of his wounds "Shh..it's nothing, you're safe now…" Falkner whispered reassuringly.

Morty's features relaxed as Falkner cleaned his wounds and dressed him with a pajama. He then pulled the sheets on. The bird master decided to sleep on the couch for that night in order not to hurt his friend further.

During the night Falkner often woke up to check on his guest, and he was scared when, the third time he reached the room, Morty was twitching on the bed, moaning as he was in pain. He kneeled down beside him, gently shaking him awake from the shoulder.

"Morty, Morty wake up…"

The ghost trainer wrapped his hands tight on Falkner's sleeve, eyes still closed, the bird master had to fight hard not to lose his balance. He landed with the head on the the pillow, Morty was awake now.

"Falkner…" he whispered with a terrible trembling voice. Falkner proceeded to run his hands against the coldness of his back "Come on, it's over now"

"How have I finished here?"

"Suicune brought you"

Memories showed up in his mind, he was sure he was dead.

Falkner ran a hand into his hair "Did that bastard make you these bruises?" he nodded into Falkner's chest

"Damn it! If I catch him…"

"No, it's useless. I broke up with him"

Falkner's eyes widened, he was disbelieving. "What?"

Morty nodded, catching himself to sit up "Yes. I was fed up of his behavior. We're never been together, truth to be told"

The new didn't shock Falkner as much as Morty imaged, the boy had figured it out "I supposed it. I wonder who could fall in love with that hood rat"

"I think I owe you several explanations."

Even if this was exactly what Falkner wanted, he would never have forced Morty in his current psychical estate "You don't have to, if you don't want, we can go through that another day…"

"No. you _must_ know! Just, just listen up for a minute, it will be too late then."

Falkner ghosted a smile towards him "Go on, I'm listening"

Morty took breath and seemed he had to catch up and order all his ideas "Well, first of all. Three days ago I told you I wouldn't have followed Eusine to Fuchsia City. I can swear I didn't have the least intention, especially after what Lance told me. The point is that, the following afternoon, Eusine was at my door again, forcing me to follow him in not so polite ways. I think those were the worst days I have ever had, low temperatures at night and very high at daytime. I could hear Suicune was near, although it never showed up. After the thousand attempt we made to find him, Eusine grew angry and hit me…"

Falkner instinctively rose a hand to strike his cheek with affection, curling a blonde lock in his fingers "That bastard!"

"Well, this time I didn't contain myself. I attacked him back, and sure he won't forget this lesson soon! He accused me to cheat again, and when he insulted you…well…I couldn't hold back" his voice went softer as the sentence ended, he looked up at Falkner with wide shimmering eyes. The bird master felt his breath catching "…are…are you serious?" he muttered. Morty put an hand over the one that was striking his cheek "I swear it"

Where many words were probably useless, Falkner moved his head closer, letting their foreheads touch, breathing every single drop of each other's scent, warm breath becoming closer and closer, eyes shut close, noses brushing, and lips following, deepening in a passionate kiss, they melted together, letting tongues exploring each other's mouth, they didn't part until their lungs protested.

Falkner blushed violently looking away "I'm sorry..I..I shouldn't have taken advantage of you…Dammit! I'm so wicked!" he made as to move, but a firm grip on his wrists kept him in place, he faced Morty who shook his head, a smile on his lips, flushing as well "That's not true. I am the wicked one…"

A deep shade took place on Morty's face, as he felt himself shivering, Falkner hugged him hoping the shivering to stop soon. He whispered comforting words in his ears

"I…I…I signed your death contract…"

According to Falkner, the stress over Morty's shoulders must be heaving so much he was actually freaking out.

"Don't be silly again! You did nothing!"

"He killed once for the same reason and he wouldn't mind murdering twice!" finally yelled out Morty. Falkner did nothing but stare "Eusine?"

Morty nodded, then lowered his look to the floor again "It happened four years ago. Do you remember the Sage found on the Burnt Tower underground?"

"I heard it was an accident actually, that tower is old…"

The ghost trainer shook his head vigorously "That's what he made the others believe. He was killed, just that now it's too late to prove it."

"And why did he killed him for?"

Morty took another deep sigh "Well, when I started frequenting Eusine I was still young and unaware of what his real aims were. Sage Kay knew that, and he succeeded to take us apart. When he was dead, Eusine told me that would be the end for everyone that could endanger out relationship"

Strong arms circled the ghost trainer, as he felt the now familiar heat on his nose gain "Don't you worry for me. That bastard will have to fight hard before succeeding to even get close! What he did is unforgivable…" he then looked at the bruises on Morty's arms, and stated in a rather bitter tone "…Look! No one has the rights of beating a person, a good soul like you are, in this brutal way!"

Falkner's shirt started getting wet as Morty cleaned himself from years of abuses and sufferings.

Slim fingers clenched with anger on the fabric of his pajama, as the bird master kept him in a tight embrace "I swear on my mother's grave that I'll give that bastard a good lesson, even if it could cost me the life!"

"No…don't! you won't be so different than him if you act the same…."

Morty rose back to meet those wonderful blue orbs once again "…and I know you are different, you are _better_!"

Falkner tightened the grip around Morty, slowly sliding down to set the both of them laid on the bed, even if it was night, he could notice the rings under the ghost trainer's eyes, he worked small circles behind his back, to calm him down and let him get a deserved sleep.

Morty's breath grew slower, he closed his eyes.

Feeling the arms around him getting loose, Falkner understood he was sleeping. He made as to slip away, but as soon as he moved to the edge of the bed, a hand wrapped on the back bottom of his shirt preventing him to move, he turned over to see Morty looking at him with glassy violet eyes "P..please stay? I..I still do have nightmares…" the sight of the slim shaking figure made Falkner's chest clench, he would have felt like some kind of monster, leaving him alone dealing with god knows which kind of nightmares

"Alright, just one thing…" he chimed, slowly slipping back, embracing Morty and curling into a ball in his chest "…You don't kick while you sleep, right?" the blond chuckled back "I don't" and placed a kiss on top of Falkner's head

"Goodnight sweetie…" he whispered, letting his eyelids shut close one more time, comforted by the warm mass of love that was breathing directly in his throat, arms wrapped around him.

In that moment all the pains and suffering were covered by a soft veil of love and trust that wrapped the two lovers, protecting them from the cruelty and ferocity of their fears in the night.

_Forever hold this heart that I will give to you_

_Forever I will live for you_


	6. Jack of Diamonds

**Author's note:** Finally an update! Even if I'm pretty disappointed with what turned out, I think there will be two or…three more chapters, but stop there. I'm disappointed how the whole story came out. I write this chapter something like three times…. And it still sucks

Finally a Sonic Syndicate song! ^^

**Disclaimer: **I don't own neither pokèmon nor any cool stuff from Sonic Syndicate

**Song: **Jack of Diamonds by Sonic Syndicate

* * *

_Had to look for something new _

_And that day I found you_

_I found you_

_I found you_

It was late in the afternoon, Falkner was at home, too afraid to leave a still half shocked Morty all alone, the man didn't move from the bed, although the bird master asked him for so many times.

When the ghost master finally decided to get up, he found Falkner busy on the pokègear, he stood a little outside the kitchen, he heard a small piece of conversation

"…sure, he is fine now…no, I didn't get the bastard, for the sake of his luck!...well, I don't think I'm showing up to the gym, neither will him…oh, alright, thank you…well then, see ya!"

Falkner pushed the red button and closed the call, eventually noticing Morty on the door frame "Who were you talking with?" he asked with innocent curiosity "Lance. I told him you were alright and that we may be unable to run to our gyms…"

Morty looked astonished "Since when Lance gives a fuck about his gym leaders?"

The bird master looked down, half in shame, half in amusement, rubbing his nape "Since I got an argument with him…"

"What? Are you serious? I don't think I would ever be brave enough to say something to him! Besides, we all know he's kinda emotionless, no word could shake him..:"

Falkner smiled and shook his head "Apparently is not like this, and it's all Steven's fault…"

he told Morty everything about his past fight with Lance and how the dragon tamer changed his expression from his usual stoic and cold one to more confident as Steven was near him. Morty leaned on his elbows on the table "I have to decide either if I'm disbelieving on Lance having a boyfriend or you yelling at him" he then chuckled wrapping an arm around the smaller's shoulder giving him a kiss on the forehead "Thank you"

"You did the same with Eusine, so it doesn't make me braver than you. At least I didn't hit Lance"

Morty took a sip from the coffee cup Falkner handed him "I doubt you'd be still here if you did…"

Falkner laughed "You should have seen the puppy look on his face when Steven spoke, I was struck at first, but thinking back about it, all this story's pretty funny!"

The bird master was drying the tea pot, he went tiptoe to put it in a high shelf, and when he was about to lose his balance and the metal object threatened to hit his head, Morty hurried, holding him with one arm around his waist and pushing the dish inside the cabinet, Falkner was flushing "That damned tea pot already hit my head five times this month!" he muttered clearly fed up.

Morty put his other arm around Falkner's waist, making him turn around. They were now facing each other, the bird master could feel heat raising on his cheeks as the blond lowered his head to catch those lips once again in a passionate kiss.

They were so focused on tasting each other that they didn't hear the main door opening, neither someone coming closer

"Ahem…"

They broke the kiss, faces flushed, coughing in embarrassment "Don't you knock at the doors in Indigo Plateau?"

"Don't you lock your doors in Violet City?" Falkner glared furiously at the lilac haired man that irrupted into his house, the old friend taking a seat on the kitchen near Morty "So, you kicked the bastard white cape in the balls, I suppose…" he threw his arms around Morty "Happy to see you back again!" he could tell Falkner gave him an half-jealous glare. The psychic master rose his hands in defend "I'm sorry, I won't touch him anymore!" he said with a smile.

Understanding how selfish he was, and how Eusine-kind that reaction looked, Falkner smiled as well and apologized with Will "Don't worry…I…I…"

Morty went back and embraced him softly, a light chuckle escapes his lips "A little bit of jealousy is normal in a relationship!"

Falkner nodded, still unconvinced. Will laughed "Come on! Cheer up! Nothing has happened!" he had something in his voice that hide some preoccupations though, the psychic master always twitched the elastic of his mask in his fingers when he was nervous. Morty eyed at him "So, why don't you tell us what's wrong?"

Will looked nervously at the two figures in front of him, he sighed and rubbed the back of his head "Well… it's about Sabrina…."

Falkner stepped forward "What? Have you argued? She wants to break up? You betrayed her? She cheated on you? "

"No, no, no! Nothing of the like, she's been feeling sick lately, you know, throwing up every single morning, feeling heavy legs…yet she has no sign of fever…She's at the hospital right now…I fear it's something serious on her stomach…and I'm terribly nervous for her…"

Morty gave him a warm smile and a reassuring squeeze to his shoulder "She's going to be well. I feel positive about it"

Will nodded, letting out a sigh "Well, they told me I wasn't able to stay there with her for the night, you know all the hospital rules, and bullshits, and she can't even have the mobile phone always on 'cuz she's stuck in room with that damned half French wench called Fantina! You know what a pain in the ass that woman is? She almost choked me with IV when I got in the room, despite it was visiting hours! I swear I'll kick her ass up and down as soon as Sabrina's out! She's gonna call me after some tests she had to do this afternoon, pressure is killing me. "

He let out a deep sigh to cool off

"You're too nervous Will. Why aren't you at Indigo Plateau anyway?" noticed Falkner.

The psychic master leaned back on his chair, stretching his arms in the air yawning loudly "Well, nice rich ass Steven has been on his damned laptop searching in his archive for anything about Eusine. He said he was coming to a result. The poor idiot has a creepy laptop as far as I understood, and he had been yelling at the poor machine all the day long, and obviously the Dragon thinks that the solution is kissing and cuddling, not buying a new laptop. It means no work when he's like this!"

"I hope Steven hurries up…" whispered Falkner

"Well, better for him too, I don't know how long the dammit dragon can hold back his sexual need…." An apple hit Will straight in the middle of the forehead, making him lose his balance and fall off the chair "Fuck you Falkner! Are you fucking trying to kill me?"

"Why do you have to be so creepy? Mind your own business!"

* * *

_**-That afternoon at Indigo Plateau-**_

Steven was about to throw his laptop out of the window: damned him and the moment he decided not to change it because, "he was too affected" and "it still worked perfectly"

He turned it off and on again, hitting his fist against the wooden table for the unmpteenth time that day.

"Do you want to chop my table? You can use my PC if you need"

The silver haired man shook his head "No, Lance, it's useless. I have all my files on this hard disk"

"Whatever. Just don't hit the table anymore."

The screen turned on, a bright blue color, Steven smiled in relief, it seemed to be working again. After something like two hours of searching and a tons of curses in every known language, Steven finally succeeded to find the file he was looking for, laughing victoriously when the document opened.

Lance stared at him from behind, sipping at his coffee

_I hope the damned thing doesn't block up again, or I will have to provide him a room in the mental hospital. _

Steven waved towards him "Hey, come here! Have a look! Told you the damned Eusine wasn't a saint, check it out."

Lance leaned forward, on the document there was a photo of the said man and a complete schedule

"This is not a police report…"

"Of course, this is _mine_. "

The electronic sheet was divided in four columns: the date, the location, a short description of the fact and a list of all people that told him this.

In the first line appeared the script

_21/03/2010, Oreburgh City. Three missing fossils, they were just draw out of the mine and brought to the laboratory for cleaning. Disappeared between noon and half, during miner's lunch break. Local gym leader, Roark said the doors were all secured, and when he found out they were just unlocked as someone got the keys. _

Lance kept on reading to the following line, which was dated a little later

_15/06/2010, Lavender Town, a grey granite epitaph stolen , carried away during the night. Local people said it was at his place until ten past eleven that evening. _

And the list kept on with similar notices

"Sorry dear, I can't see the connection with Eusine…"

"Well, I found out when I asked to people if they noticed some new faces around, some strangers, well everyone pointed to a white caped man, Making further investigations I found out that was him, but I don't have a piece of evidence to prove me he was involved in all of this, not that this actually mattered anyway…"

Lance just blinked as Steven kept on his reading "Yes, all the stolen objects just had affective value, you can understand granite is not such a rare kind of stone, and those fossils were just pieces of a bigger creature, why in the world you steal just a small part of something? Especially knowing those are useless if the rest isn't found, which is really unlikeable… I can't understand. Besides…" he scrolled down 'til he reached a line in where was mentioned about some volcanic stones disappearing in Lavaridge Town.

"Here, in that period I just found a modest ruby deposit, but none of the gems were touched, and they were near the stupid rocks! If he's a burglar, he's not smart at all unless…." He mumbled for a moment "…Unless some of the stolen stuff is useful to catch Suicune" he said holding his index finger up in a smart way, Lance shook his head vigorously, almost laughing at his affirmation. Thinking the stupid tamed the Regis!

"No, nothing of the like, sorry."

Lance laced his cape and secured his pokèballs on the belt, Steven turned to face him "Where are you going?"

The dragon tamer grunted "A call from Pryce, seems that the Team Rocket is bothering there again…"

The steel master hurried behind his boyfriend "Wait, I'm coming with you!"

Lance gave him an annoyed sigh, as the other stumbled on the chair almost falling on the floor "Steven.."

"Shut the fuck up, I was a League champion too, I'm perfectly able to take care of myself!"

"Whatever. Come on"

Lance wasn't stupid at all, he perfectly knew Steven was almost as strong as he was, but the only though of him being harmed made his protective instinct rise.

* * *

It was almost dinner time when the waited call arrived "Finally!" said Will aloud, his collar becoming so tight, forehead sweating

/"Sorry love, the doctor was busy…"/

He couldn't understand why he had shivers even if he felt terribly hot and sweat in the whole body, he could barely talk as his throat was tangled in a knot "S…So?"

/"I'm pregnant!"/

When he woke up, he was on the couch of Falkner's living room, Morty was patting his forehead with a wet cloth, his mask was removed "How do you feel?"

The psychic master opened his mouth as to answer, but found himself unable to speak, so he gestured for something to drink, his friend gave him some, once he drank it whole, he coughed a couple of times "Where..where is Sabrina, what did she say? Dammit I reacted like a moron! I must run to Saffron City!"

Morty kept him in place by the shoulders "Stop! She's at the hospital for checks, the doctor said an eye should be kept on her since she drunk even if she was in such an estate. Nothing serious but you wouldn't be allowed, besides you can faint again! Now stay here calm and quiet, she will let you know as soon as you'll be able to visit her"

Reluctantly, Will accepted the conditions.

Falkner went to his friends, pokègear in hands, he was barely able to speak because Will nervously cut him off reaching for his hand "She called again? What did she tell you? How does she feel?"

Falkner slapped him on the nape, the poor Will almost fell off the couch "Are you ever fucking calming down? If you keep this way you will die for heartache before she reaches the third month!"

"Sorry…is that I saw the pokègear and assumed you called her"

Falkner rolled his eyes to the ceiling , as the one and only number a pokègear could hold was Sabrina's!

"Dad called, he's gonna be here…."

The sound of the doorbell cut him off "…now"

Walker hurried in, messy hair as always, chewing restless at the feather he had in his mouth "So, how are you today?" he asked hugging Falkner a little too tight "I've been having a trouble with this nervous lilac head here…"

Will gave a weak smile, still half pale for the shock. Walker reached him giving a small pat on the shoulder "What's going on man?" he asked, looking curiously at his son who positioned himself behind Will, arms half stretched "Did someone hurt you? Is there a cake in the oven?" he didn't intend the metaphoric meaning with the last sentence, but it was effective enough to hit the spot once again, and make Will fall back, Falkner promptly kept him from squashing agaist the floor

"Please don't talk about ovens, cakes, pies muffins and dugouts!" scolded Falkner.

After the situation was clear and Will came back to senses again, Walker hurried to apologize himself to the young Elite, in the end he offered the guys to buy dinner to everyone.

He flew to Blackthorn City for some good take away food.

Morty helped Falkner in laying the table, while Will just stared at the walls with an idiot grin and a retarded expression on his face.

Falkner pulled the plates out, leaning them in the middle of the table. He stopped looking up at the ceiling, then gave his friends a blink "Did you hear?"

Will wasn't listening and Morty just shrugged "Heard what?"

"Oh, nothing, maybe just a bad joke of my imagination"

The ghost master placed the plates, putting forks and knives at the sides of them, he could see Falkner still a little worried "Why should a burglar act when people are still awake?"

"It wasn't an human step, it sounded like paws or something of the like, I had troubles with damned Rattata in the past, and don't want it to happen again. It's a pain in the ass, a huge one"

"You should just cut away all the rose bushes outside, they're like a drug to the dammit Rattata" observed Will

"Really? I'll think about it Tomorrow, with the sun, I hope a fucking Rattata won't come inside tonight, I don't really feel like, between Eusine, Lance, Dad and the fucking Spearow…I just miss a Rattata and I can tell I lived the most exhausting month of my life! "

Morty looked outside, like he was examining the roses "They're well kept, Rattata usually stands in the dirty"

"They love roses! Goddammit!" insisted Will

"Hey Morty, can you help me? I can't reach the glasses, can you lift me up?" said Falkner stretching his arms towards the shelf, he usually used a stool or a chair or asked to one of his Spearow, but being lifted by Morty's hands was so better. The blond grabbed his waist and lifted the smaller boy up easily. Slowly, the bird master was beginning to understand that being helped didn't always mean to be weak, and sometimes it could be pleasuring too.

He took the glasses and waited to be settled down, but Morty held him still up, he turned to see the blond absent face, he was listening to something.

"Err…Morty, you can ease me down now…"

The other did as he was asked, without letting go of the little trainer. Will reached their friends "Morty…What is happening, what have you felt?"

The ghost master swallowed uncomfortably "Guys, we…we need to get away from here as fast as we can…they're here!"

Falkner blinked, tilting his head back to face Morty "Who? The Rattata? Morty, you're making us worry!"

"Yeah, who is here?"

Before they could be answered, Morty had opened the window and pulled the other two out.

"What the hell! You bloody ghost!" yelled Will, holding his knee that had wounded when he accidentally slipped during the process of getting out of the house, Morty shut him up "Be quiet, and stay down, we need to get away from here…"

They crawled out of the garden, hiding behind a bush. Morty held Falkner's hand tight "Do you know the Sprout Tower well enough?"asked the blond

"Sure…we can hide at the top, it's quite a big mess to find someone if you don't know the building…" before he could finish, Morty pulled his hand, Will following the two.

They were in front of the tower, when suddenly, Morty was put KO by a stick on his side. Falkner and Will threw themselves protectively on him. Glaring at the aggressors.

Three Rocket grunts were looking down smirking meanly "Look, look, look. The bird and the blind elite are here too! Seems like we're lucky tonight"

Said a voice from behind them, when they turned, Eusine was making his entrance, holding the clear bell and a masterball, two grunts took a firm grip on Falkner and Will, while the white cape took the sore ghost master on his shoulder "Me and nice Morty are going to catch Suicune, these amazing guys will send you to a trip straight to hell!"

_Living in a house of cards_

_Waiting for it all to fall_

_Hope for the best, plan for the worst_

_That's what my life is all about _


	7. Fight

**Author's note: **The sixth chapter took me longer than expected, good. I hope this wouldn't happen with this one. So it's almost done, I can almost firmly state that there will be only one chapter after this. And then all this is OVER! I should have stop writing, cuz I saw that the damned thing is less followed now (if not completely ignored) but I don't stop at half job done, so I just finished to don't leave something undone behind. Cuz I know this is such a creepy work =(( I tried to put some action on and I'm not satisfied by the result…comments and suggestions are welcome, if you don't wanna leave a review just MP me ^^ thank you

**Disclaimer:**I don't own pokèmon and all the lyrics belong to The Dirty Youth

**Song: **Fight by The Dirty Youth

* * *

_I lose control_

_This time you've taken it too far_

_All I wanna do is fight, can't you see you're pushing me over_

Mhogany Town's gym doors popped open, letting a furious Lance and a panting Steven inside

"Pryce!" Lance called aloud, there was no sign of the gym leader. The cool air and the ice fumes giving the building a ghostly look, the dragon tamer grabbed Steven's sleeve "Be careful! The damned iced place slips!"

The steel master just glared, he knew that ice is slippery.

They heard muffle sounds from the back , where a ice hole was, before Pryce position.

Being the gentle and delicate human he was, and having spent a lot of time in the Ice Path to find gems, Steven had no trouble at all in reaching the source of the noise without slipping and quickly, leaving a stunned Lance behind.

There, at the bottom of the pit, laid Pryce and some of his trainers, wrists and ankles tied, mouth covered by scotch tape. The two masters hurried to get the prisoners free and help them standing up again, Lance had a firm hold on Pryce's arm "What happened?"

"I noticed Rockets heading to the Lake of Rage again, I challenged them with my trainers, but they were too much, they just immobilized and brought us here"

Lance was confused "Did they steal anything? Caught some Gyarados with force or stuff like that?"

Pryce shook his head "Nothing of the like. I think they used us as a diversion to a biggest aim, they talked about Suicune, you two'd better go to Ecruteak City.

Lance and Steven exchanged a look and nodded, turning on their feet and getting out of the gym without thinking about that two times.

Lance let Dragonite out and made Steven sign to follow him on the back "Come on, we need to get to Violet City before it's too late! I swear that damned white cape is implied in all this fucking story!"

"But Pryce said we had to go in Ecruteak…"

"The problem is that Morty is now in Violet, they should know that"

* * *

The night seemed quiet in Violet City, no lights on, no people on the streets, everything was calm, except for a man: he stood in front of Falkner's house, like looking for something he couldn't see. Lance was sure he had never met the man, even if he had resemblances with Falkner.

They got closer "Have you lost something sir?" asked Steven politely.

"More than _something_ I would have said _someone_. My son, his boyfriend and a friend were here thirty minutes ago, I went to take the dinner, and when I was back, they were just vanished!" affirmed Walker astonished.

Lance looked at the building, where some roses bushes were trodden down, some mud footprints leaded to the _Sprout Tower_. The dragon tamer asked for the other two men to follow.

Will and Falkner were in a dark side of the Sprout Tower, tied as well, they didn't put tape on their mouth because screams can't be heard from the outside, Will cursed himself for have being to slow in calling the pokèmon, now they had taken his pokèballs away, as well as Falkner's.

"Hey man, do you think I can set you free if I chew the dammit rope?"

The birds master shook his head "You're not a Raticate!"

The psychic master looked around for traces of sharpened objects: obviously nothing. He leaned backs, so that he was laying on the floor, Will looked at him with puzzled eyes "What are you doing?"

"Trying to reach the end of the room rolling over, if I get the door I might be able to cut the rope against the wood"

"That's silly!"

"At least we don't have to become toothless!"

Their argument was interrupted by the sound of a peck "Sst! What was that?" asked Will still half worried, Falkner's mouth corners rose in a light smile "I think I know…" he rolled over and over to go near the wooden door, which had a squared chink on the top "Hey, sweetie, come inside. Daddy needs help!" exclaimed the bird master in a low but firm tone, his friend just thought he must have gone crazy from a day to another "Falk? Why on earth are you talking with the door?"

"Shut the fuck up, you idiot, you'll see"

Few moments later, a Spearow flew through the tiny window, flying directly on his trainer's lap, pecking at his nose. "Hey cutie, what do you think if you set me and Will free?"

Falkner had to admit he had never been happier of the young bird's escape than he was in that moment.

Spearow went behind him, and with a firm peck on the rope it set Falkner's wrists and hands free "Fine go help Will now…" he said starting to untie the knot on his ankles.

They slipped outside, Spearow used Falkner's shoulder as a roost, as they suspected there were rockets anywhere, they needed to collect their pokèballs back.

The damned white cape wasn't joking, Falkner knew that and was ready to fight him, even if it meant hurting himself bad or even die. The bastard still had Morty, and was nowhere in sight, the rage was building up in him like a balloon overloaded with helium now about to explode.

They arrived to the second floor, in a corner where they clearly saw their pokèballs lying on the ground. Falkner pointed at the objects "There"

"Well, how are we supposed to get rid of all the motherfucker grunts? They must be at least eight and me and you don't weight 198 pounds in two and their legs are twice our height!"

Falkner slipped behind a Bellsprout statue, taking a target from the pedestal and handing it to his friend, who looked more confused than ever "Come on, help me take away the other three here, and then we'll pick the other four in the statue next to this"

Without asking further Will did as asked. When they collected the four bronze targets, they went back to the entrance where the grunts were guarding their pokemon. The bird master whispered to his Spearow "Fly above their heads and go out from the window, then go and find Morty, come back to me as soon as you see where he is" the bird did as commanded, and soared over the Rocket's heads. They were so taken aback from the sudden presence that they had no time to react when Falkner and Will hit them in the head with the bronze targets used as shouriken.

The two got their pokeballs back, they were about to fly out of the window when another two grunts locked their way, they called Arbok and Houndoom out.

After few moments, other four grunts followed, Will sent Xatu and Gardevoir out, and Falkner followed with Noctowl and Pidgeot.

"Falkner, go find Morty, I'd get rid of them one way or another!" shouted the psychic master before ordering Gardevoir to use psybeam and commanding Xatu to launch a confuse ray on Houndoom.

Falkner lost no time, he jumped off the window riding the back of Pidgeot, Spearow had came back and brought him to the top of the tower, Eusine held Morty firm on the roof "Leave him alone you son of a bitch!" with that, Falkner literally threw himself over the with cape, not considering the fact that said man was stronger. The grunts must have helped him putting Morty KO, and now it was about his time to.

Eusine looked down and told him with an evil laughter "Well, I think you're running too much, idiot piece of a sissy canary!"

Falkner growled back, banding around Morty protectively "Do you wanna a match? Right? Well, let's fight!"

Eusine pulled his pokeball out, leaving Electrode to come out "You think you scare me? Just because your's a damned electric type? I've become a gym leader for a reason!" he rose his arm as to call Pidgeot to attention "Well, Pidgeot use Mud-shot!" the huge bird shook his wings so powerful that the sand from the ground rose and switched to hit the Electrode, although, Eusine was abler than he thought "Electrode, you use rollout, don't let him hit you with this silly attack!" and so it did, the ball pokèmon rolled down the roof, taking just a little damage from its enemy and landing on the poor Pidgeot's back, the bird hit the floor hard, the hit seemed to reach also Falkner's limbs "Pidgeot! Stand up! Come on use quick attack!"

As the wicked person he was, Eusine sent out Hypno and Fearow, making them all hit Pidgeot at the same time.

The bird hit the ground violently "You double son of a bitch!"

Before he could retreat Pidgeot, Eusine walked towards Falkner lifting him up from the collar, the bird master could feel the unpleasant breathe on his face, almost puking, he gave Eusine a kick on the stomach, but the other promptly blocked it "You must mind your own business the next time! I had a positive feeling about you, you could become one of my first warriors in my future imperium!"

Falkner coughed, feeling the fabric of his shirt almost scratching against his neck skin "Wha…what the hell are you talking about?"

The evil laughter came again "Well, I guess I can tell you now that you're about to crash on the soil…well after I've caught Suicune and the other two dogs…" he eyed at the painful Morty "…a job easily done with the help of your boyfriend, I'll take control of the legendary Rainbow Pokèmon, then you'll just have to fucking fear me!"

"You..bastard!" he pushed forward, this time reaching the white caped man's face with a kick "I'll never back down! If it means to die, then, I'm ready! I won't let you win!"

Falkner felt the cold hand on his neck tightening, preventing him to breathe correctly.

"You're too brave, it's almost a pity to delete you like th—" Eusine was cut off by a sudden pain behind his nape, he turned to see a furious Walker standing there, the feather almost flying away as he breathed heavily, eyebrows narrowed in a murderous glare, grinding teeth, hands clenched into fists "I told you back fifteen years ago: if I'd find you bothering my son again, I would have to kill you!"

Eusine abruptly let Falkner down turning to face his father "Well, dear old Walker, I believed you were dead, it actually doesn't matter, you'll be dead soon!"

Eusine dealt a bow to Falkner with a powerful punch on the stomach that left him without breath, and hurried to face his father.

Although years were passed for him too, Walker's power didn't fade, he was still surprisingly strong. Falkner inhaled the courage in his lungs, forcing himself to pull up and grab Morty on his shoulders.

Walker hit Eusine square on the face with a fist, immediately giving another under his chin, making the cape falling on his back.

Falkner looked down, Pidgeot seemed to be recovered a little, not enough to battle though, he called his pokèmon and eased Morty on its back "Go! Fly to the nearest hospital" he knew the grunts would have done their best to prevent that, so he decided to take the situation in both hands, his father was starting to yield under the younger's man attack, and surely, he didn't want to lose his parent once again, and forever. This was a personal affair and he would have taken care of it by himself.

He jumped on Eusine's back making him fall and hit his head, he could feel a new power spreading in his muscles and along his bones "Dad!" he screamed fighting hard to keep Eusine still pinned on the floor "..Go after Pidgeot! Don't let the grunt attack it!"

Walker rose, drying a bloody drop on his mouth "Falkner.."

"Do what I said! Hurry already dammit!"

Walker obeyed calling his Skarmory out and flying behind Pidgeot.

"You don't want to surrender uh?" Eusine showed the bird master away from him, trying to hit the lithe body with a kick, having seen it, Falkner was able to avoid the shot and blew his foe's sternum with the knee, Eusine spitted blood on the golden tiles, gathering himself up "Well, little bird, it's time for you to fall, you won't go out of this alive" and he threw himself over Falkner, they rolled down the roof's side 'til the border. Eusine had Falkner's shoulders pressed against the gutter pipe, his head in the air "Well, but you will follow me to hell!"

The bird master grabbed Eusine's cape and with a powerful pull let them both fall off the tower. He closed his eyes, perfectly knowing he died as a hero, he should have been scared but now all his dearest friends, his father and his beloved man were safe, his sacrifice wasn't vain.

His eyes popped open at the feeling of two arms holding him, he looked at the now so near ground "What the…" gentle hands eased him down "Can you stand still?" he turned to face Steven Stone on the other side Lance was holding Eusine firm, glaring as always. The two evidently had untangled during the falling process.

Lance secured Eusine with handcuffs, loading him and all the grunts on a police van. Will ran towards him hugging him tight "You dammit bird, you made me worry! Piece of idiot, what jumps on your mind to risk your life this way?"

Lance reached them, holding both Falkner and will for the arms "Walker and Morty are at the hospital, it's better for you two to go and visit as well, especially you Falkner, you fought harder than you ever did"

_Control freak this is who you are_

_All I wanna do is fight, I get the urge to fight_


	8. Mountain

**Author's note: **This is supposed to be the last chapter, maybe I'll add a last one as an epilogue, but it would be something like a bonus chapter or something….for now take for good this is the last one...

Creepy poetic ending attempt… =((

**Discalimers:** I don't own pokèmon nor any words written by GC

**Song:** Mountain by Good Cahrlotte

* * *

_So tell me what you want, _

_Cause I would give you anything _

_Tell me what you need and I'll go get it_

The feeling of a needle plunging in his vein, shook Morty awake to see a smiling nurse Joy beaming at him, while extracting blood with a syringe "Good morning. How are you feeling?"

Morty rolled his eyes, how the hell should he be feeling? He was kidnapped, beaten up to death and flight to the hospital by a wounded Pidgeot. Yeah, he was feeling great! He avoided all the complaints and just spoke the essential "Better than two hours ago"

The nurse just nodded, bringing the syringe full of blood away. Morty leaned back on the pillow, counting the blue lines on the ceiling.

He heard the door behind him burst open, and a second later found his chest invade with a crying and clinging bluehead. He rose his hand to strike that silky hair, hoping the young would calm down, the latest months have been nerve-breaking, and all the adrenaline was coming out in that exact moment. Being a clam person for nature, Morty could do nothing but wait.

When the sobs finally stopped, Falkner rose his head, weeping tears away with the back of his hand "S..sorry..I made a child out of myself…"

"Don't worry about that, you've been through the hell lately, you have all the rights in this world of pouring out. "

Falkner moved back, knowing about the IV attached to Morty's arm, he didn't want to accidentally unthread the gum pipe and create further damages. He just let a hand rest on the blond chest "Thanks to Articuno you're alright now. You know, Eusine's in jail now, Lance secured him for good"

Morty blinked, voice trembling with emotion "You…you mean we don't have to deal with him anymore?"

Falkner shook his head smiling "No, we don't, we're free now…" he leaned and they exchange a light kiss.

Morty's eyes were threatening tears too "I've been waiting for this for the last… five? Six years? I don't know, I…I'm feeling free again!" he then turned and looked into Falkner's blue eyes intensively "Thank you Falkner, I..I…really, don't know how to thank you. You hosted me when I was wounded, and even endangered your life more than once for me…"

Falkner pressed his fingers against Morty's lips "Who helped me out the wood without even knowing me? Who prevented the teapot to fall and hurt my head? Who made me understand to close with the past and that I'm not omnipotent and invincible and that I might need somebody's help from time to time?"

Morty gave him one of his warmest smiles "Well, I think it's normal that lovers help each other, isn't it?"

Instead of answering, Falkner pulled him for another kiss, a more passionate one.

"Defiantly yes!"

A light knock on the already open door made the two turn to see Walker walking in, an arm casted.

"Hey dad, is it badly broken?"

The older shook his head "Nope, it's just dislocated, the doctor said I should have it casted before it could get worse" he then sighed disappointedly "He said I didn't have to move too much, and can't absolutely fly! That's not fair!"

The childish tone in Walker's voice made both his son and Morty chuckle, he was Walker, dammit! The man with no roof on his head, the one who could sleep under the snow for months without having a cold, now protesting for a little amount of chalk and bandage around his arm.

"You should rest, Dad. The doctor is right, I'll make you the bed as soon as we're at home"

"Oh, don't worry about that, tell me is that white canvas hammock still in the closet?"

Falkner mumbled, he recalled that old piece of cloth in one of the several paper boxes in his closet, yet not remembering the position he had put it "Actually yes, but it must be ruined by the time and you know, a hammock is not good for your arm!"

"Oh, come on! I don't want to bother you!"

Falkner narrowed his eyes "You are my Dad and you have all the rights to…" he understood that Walker wasn't referring about the bed occupation, he was looking at Morty, and Falkner realized that his father wanted him to live his love life the best, he could sleep in the garden dammit!

Morty took the word "Well, I own a little apartment on the second floor of the dancing school. If you want, you can stay there, I will be around to help whenever you need help with your injured arm"

Walker was jumping for joy in his mind, it's not so often to be offered and apartment, he nodded in acceptance "Well, thank you Morty, although, I don't want you two to come and help me, I don't need a nursemaid!"

Falkner and Morty laughed aloud. Like father like son.

"Whatever you want, at least let me call Sayo and make her give a clean and put good sheets on the bed…"

Walker smiled warmly again "You'll be an excellent son-in-law, I couldn't ask for better!" he said, ruffling Falkner's hair.

"Hey Walk! What the hell! You come back and don't even greet your old friend?"

A loud and growling voice called from the outside, Morty rolled his eyes as a tall man, with a long balck beard walked into the room. His chest was bare, showing strong arms. Falkner blinked, he didn't recall to have ever seen the man.

Walker stood up, widening his good arm and exchanging with the larger man a friendly hug "Hey, Chuck! It's been a while!"

"You dickhead! Making the whole world believe you were dead!"

Falkner leant to whisper to Morty "Is he Cianwood City's gym leader?"

A nod in response. The bird master didn't need further confirmation that he would have bought earplugs to wear every time he was supposed to meet the loud Chuck.

The man had come closer to him, and almost broken his poor lithe shoulder with what the fight master called "a friendly pat"

"So, this is your child! Dammit, he is the spitting image of you!"

Falkner twitched his mouth in disgust, he wasn't the only one spitting in that moment.

"You've just become a gym leader.." he gave the poor bird trainer's shoulder a too strong shake, so that the poor thing had to wrap an hand to the bed's iron bar to prevent himself to fall and break his already weak bones "..Keep training hard, you might reach the level of Winona in Hoenn or Skyla in Unova!"

Chuck then turned his attention to the blond on the bed "Hey Morty, get well soon!"

The other just nodded "Fine, fine, I will."

"Hey, do you mind if I steal you Walker for some minutes? It's been a while…"

"Oh, doesn't matter, go have some fun, I don't think there's much to do in this room " smiled Falkner waving at the two exiting figures.

Once Chuck's line had disappeared, the bird master threw out a sigh of relief "I hope he wouldn't come to visit often…my poor ears are bleeding..not to mention my shoulder!"

Some hours after, Will and Sabrina walked in hand in hand, the lilac man wore a inhuman grin. Falkner stood up to greet Sabrina and make her congratulations.

The girl gave her boyfriend occasional scowls, she was furious for her man putting himself in danger.

"So, how long…" asked Morty, Sabrina cut him off before he could finish is question "Almost three months now. I was suspicious about that, well, I had been puking the hell out of me and never get thinner, my stomach keeping on enlarging. The thought that skipped me out of this line of thoughts was the fact that I've been taking the pill. Well seems that it didn't work properly…" a light smile painted on her lips "Not that this is bad, of course"

"I hope our child will take the tallness from Sabry…either if it will be a boy or a girl" the poor Will wasn't very tall, effectively.

"It's not fair, Lucian's way taller than me! And both of our parents were short!" he snarled, crossing arms over his chest "Yes, but Lucian doesn't have your charm…" Sabrina kissed him on the cheek affectively, making him turn the same shade of his hair.

"Have you thought of a name?" asked Morty curious, while Falkner provided them both a chair "Well, honestly, we still don't know if it would be a boy or a girl, so I picked up female names and Sabrina some male names, we still have to decide for good"

"I'm undecided between Zachary, Nickolas or Andrew…"

Will remarked the first two names "Zachary and Nickolas, please, I would be ashamed to hang out with such an awful name"

"I like Zachary." Said Falkner innocently, Will pointed the index finger direct to the bird master's nose point "Don't say that neither for joke, or she's gonna call the future like that! I don't want a boy named Zachary!"

"You should listen to his choice of names…come on Will, why don't you show us your creativity?" she had a challenging tone "Hey! Don't do like that, at least mine are not as awful as yours! Well the first, and also my favorite is Kendra…"

Morty chuckled "And the second what is Seandra?" the psychic Master glared "I'm not kidding, it's a wonderful name!"

"Go on…" asked Falkner

"Well, the other is Adrianne"

"It sounds so damn solemn…" joked Falkner, Will just ignored him for the integrity of the hospital room "Well, the last is Myrtle" with that, Falkner and Morty literally cracked into a violent laugh "What? You must be kidding dude! Please take Adrianne, is the less scary!" exclaimed Falkner, almost choking for the laughs.

"Hey why don't you ask Lucian if he has a book with names on? He surely has" suggested Morty

"Yeah, your brother practically lives in a library, it's impossible he doesn't own such a kind of book" Sabrina then turned to Falkner "You have never seen Lucian's place, well there's a bookshelf even in the bathroom"

"I must admit that is the only useful when you're pooping…" reasoned Will, causing all the others to laugh.

"The strange thing is that he has neither a porn magazine among all those books! He never had, neither when we were younger I used to have tons of that stuff, and still have plenty…"

"You what?" Will jumped, his hair getting fuzzy as Sabrina grabbed him for the collar, cheeks going pale "I…I….swear I used them just to lit the fireplace!"

"You don't have a fireplace!" she got a point.

Doctor Elm walked in holding some kind of register and medicine, he seemed no to notice the little fight between the two lovers, which had shut up, Sabrina still holding her boyfriend firm by the shirt; he wrote down a list of medications and handed Morty a violet box "Here, it's a cream, put it on your bruises twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, don't expose your skin to direct sunlight or they will just get your bruises worse, okay?"

Morty nodded "Alright" he looked at the sheet he was just given "What are these?" he pointed a very long chemical name printed on the paper "Oh, painkillers, the pharmacist will suggest you on this, your muscles look so sore, you must take something or you'll find yourself full of cramps…also…." He sais as to continue the medication list "…Avoid people like the white caped idiot if you don0t wanna have more bruises on your skin. If someone like that wants to hang out with you again you can say _The doctor ordered me(1)_, cuz it's true."

"Hey doc... called Sabrina "Is there some place free at the morgue?"

Elm blinked "Wha…what?"

"Oh, I just need a bed or something tall like this…." She said forcing Will to stand up and placing a hand like a blade on his neck "Yes, without the head…." She then looked down "And something else!"

The doctor just smiled and shook his head "Just put him into the nightstand drawer, we need places at the morgue"

It occurred some minutes and endless explanations from Morty and Falkner to Sabrina to understand and forgive her fiancée.

It was about seven o' clock when a knock on the now closed door made them all start. They were waiting for the dinner in Morty's room as he had a plenty large one and was _alone_, besides, settled that both Will and Falkner still needed a medical eye on, the doctors allowed them to stay over the visitor hours.

"This must be the nurse with my pills…" muttered Will, he was pretty surprised when instead he found none less than Steven Stone, holding a bunch of colorful flowers in his hands "How the hell? Visitor's hour is over!" exclaimed the psychic master astonished "Yes, but I am Steven Stone and I can…" repeated the other with a rather sore voice, Falkner provided him a chair "Steven, please sit with us" the steel master watched at the offered object almost terrified "No thanks, I'm fine just like this…ouch…almost!" he massaged his lower back lightly, Will smirked at the bluntness of his previous actions.

"I…I know flowers are such a girlie present, but the bakery was closed…" Morty smiled "That's fine, I like the scent of fresh blossoms covering this bad disinfectant smelling room"

"Where's Lance?" asked Falkner, noticing the deep blush on Steven's face "Well, he's sleeping luckily he had…a hard day….really"

"I see…" said Will meanly, obtaining a slap on the nape from Falkner and one on the shoulder from Sabrina.

"Actually, he was very mad at Eusine for having caused troubles with the Team Rocket, having injured two of his gym leaders, endangered the life of an elite four and giving torment to a pokèmon…the bastard had also the courage of insulting Lance, he just beat Eusine's face down with a punch….that's the reason why there are teeth now in the office's floor… and wasn't about to let him go…" he sighed "I needed to calm him down….at least it worked"

Will was about to laugh hysterically, Lance fucking the silver ass like a bunny, it was almost scaring.

The ex-Hoenn champion excused himself before going out "I'm sorry for leaving you like this, but I need to be home and check on Lance as well…" he blushed again.

"Don't worry, thanks for the flowers again" smiled Falkner.

"God, he's so nice he must have steel nerves to deal with Lance" commented Sabrina "Not only the nerves…" at this time Will didn't hold back anymore and burst in a loud laugh, stopped just when the glare from the other three people grew so violent that was almost piercing.

After dinner was served, Will and Sabrina walked back to their rooms, agreeing on the fact that the girl needed to sleep. Falkner just asked the nurse for a pillow, he took the armchair and scooted the seat next to the bed "You know you don't have to stay, your back's gonna ache tomorrow" observed Morty a little sadly, Falkner just took his hands in his "Well, I don't think it will hurt so badly as long as you're with me, I won't be able to think about such a light pain. Remember this words for the rest of your life, this is how I'm gonna do from now on." He smiled down at Morty's sleepy eyes that were getting glassy "Count on me too, love.."

Morpheus' arms embraced them both, crowning a union that was meant to last forever.

_I'd give up all these dreams_

_To have you in my arms right now_

_I'd give up everything and I'd forget it_

* * *

**Additional note(1): **_The doctor ordered me_. We often say it in the place I come from(I don't know if the whole Italy does), it's used when you either do a thing you don't have to do and hurts you, or don't want to do a thing that it's not owed to do.

Ex.

"I hurt my knee making a back-flip in the kitchen"

"Why did you do that? Did the doctor order you that?"

or

"Why don't you go to the cinema with him?"

"I'm not forced to! The doctor didn't order me"


End file.
